Helms & Company

What Helms & Company does

Helms & Company, Inc. is a privately held healthcare consulting and management firm founded in October 1983 in Concord, New Hampshire by Ned Helms and J. Michael Degnan. The firm serves hospitals, health systems, physician practices, payers, behavioral health centers, home health agencies, vaccine associations, and state government entities primarily across northern New England (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine), with select engagements extending to Washington State and other jurisdictions. It operates through six service lines: Executive Support & Interim Executive Management, Strategic Plan Development and Business Development Planning, Operational Process and Performance Support, Physician Practice Management, Payer Management and Health Insurance Broker Services, and Joint Venture and Association Management/Facilitation. Leadership currently rests with five Principals (Roland P. Lamy Jr., Brian Marquis, Ellen McCahon, Patrick Miller, Bryan St. Cyr) supported by eight Senior Consultants and approximately nine staff.

Helms earns revenue from three primary streams: (1) professional services consulting fees billed on a custom engagement basis tied to scope, principal involvement, and contract length; (2) managed services / outsourced administration of healthcare associations and joint ventures (NH Health Plan, NH Imaging Services, VNA Health System of Northern New England, VNA Health System of VT, NH Community Behavioral Health Association, NH and WA Vaccine Associations, Rural Home Care Network, New England Alliance for Health) with embedded principals serving as Executive Director or Administrative Director; and (3) insurance broker commissions as a licensed producer for life, accident, and health insurance. The firm does not sell proprietary software; its technology stack consists of standard business productivity tools plus in-house IT, database, and application development managed by IT Lead Roger Tetu, which is also extended to a portfolio of association clients.

Helms has created and managed a number of provider-owned joint ventures, including New Hampshire Imaging Services (13 hospitals, 25 sites, $10M+ revenue), the New Hampshire Lithotripter Center ($1.5M revenue), and the Behavioral Health Network ($26M revenue, brokered to a Fortune 100 buyer/WellPoint in 2006). It also administers multi-state programs of significant scale, including the NH Health Plan's $40M state High Risk Pool and the first $70M federal PCIP contract signed under the ACA. GTM is relationship-driven, principal-led enterprise consulting with no channel partners, digital advertising, or self-serve funnels; the website and peer testimonials generate the majority of pipeline. The firm is privately held with no parent company, no institutional investor, and no disclosed cap table.

Name

Helms & Company

Legal name

Helms & Company, Inc.

Website

https://helmsco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Helms & Company is a privately held healthcare consulting and management firm founded in 1983, serving hospitals, physician practices, payers, and provider associations across northern New England with interim executive management, strategic planning, physician practice consulting, payer contracting, and joint venture administration services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Concord

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Consulting Fees: Engagement-based fees across six service lines: Executive Support & Interim Executive Management, Strategic Plan Development, Operational Process & Performance Support, Physician Practice Management, Payer Management & Health Insurance Broker Services, and Joint Venture & Association Management. Billed to hospitals, physicians, payers, and healthcare/human service organizations.
2. Managed Services / Outsourced Association & Joint Venture Administration: Long-term administrative, operational, financial, and technology management of healthcare associations and joint ventures (NH Health Plan, NH Imaging Services, NH Lithotripter Center, Rural Home Care Network, VNA Health System of Northern New England, VNA Health System of VT, NH Community Behavioral Health Association, New England Alliance for Health, NH Vaccine Association, Washington Vaccine Association).
3. Insurance Broker Commissions: Helms is a licensed producer for life, accident and health insurance; designs and negotiates healthcare benefits for providers, large employers, government agencies, and unions to optimize use of healthcare dollars. Generates commission-based revenue.
4. Transaction / Brokerage Fee (BHN Sale): In 2006, Helms & Company brokered the sale of the Behavioral Health Network to a Fortune 100 company, creating substantial return for its owners — example of one-time transaction-based revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Helms & Company is a healthcare consulting and management firm that delivers six integrated service lines: Executive Support & Interim Executive Management; Strategic Plan Development/Refinement and Business Development Planning; Operational Process & Performance Support; Physician Practice Management; Payer Management and Health Insurance Broker Services; and Joint Venture & Association Management/Facilitation. The firm serves hospitals, physician practices, payers, healthcare associations, and human-service organizations across northern New England and selectively beyond, providing both project-based consulting and long-term outsourced administration of joint ventures and associations.

Product overview

Helms & Company is a healthcare consulting and management firm offering a portfolio of six core service areas delivered as an integrated practice rather than a unified software product. The portfolio comprises Executive Support & Interim Executive Management, Strategic Plan Development/Refinement and Business Development Planning, Operational Process & Performance Support, Physician Practice Management, Payer Management and Health Insurance Broker Services, and Joint Venture & Association Management/Facilitation. These services work together to support hospitals, physicians, payers, healthcare organizations, and human service organizations across northern New England, with the Joint Venture & Association Management practice encompassing management of multiple named programs and entities (such as NH Health Plan, NH Imaging Services, Rural Home Care Network, VNA Health System of Northern New England, VNA Health System of VT, NH Community Behavioral Health Association, New Hampshire Vaccine Association, and Washington Vaccine Association). The Payer Management service is a licensed insurance producer line, while the other five services form the consulting backbone delivered by the firm's Principals and Senior Consultants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Support & Interim Executive Management Provides short- and long-term leadership support as healthcare organizations manage periods of transition, crisis, or change. Includes interim CEO and Vice President level management for hospitals and health institutions in crisis and/or transition, with turn-around plan development and implementation overseen by the interim executive.
• Strategic Plan Development/Refinement and Business Development Planning Assists organizations with planning for the future while examining the efficiency and structure of current operations. Services include board and executive retreat facilitation, service expansion feasibility studies, partnership/alliance assessments, merger and acquisition assessments, strategic plan development, financial feasibility studies, marketing research, and community needs assessments.
• Operational Process & Performance Support Helps healthcare organizations achieve peak performance by implementing mechanisms that ensure managers, employees, and decision makers have efficient processes, well-defined performance models, and accurate and timely information. Supports physician practices, home health agencies, area agencies, behavioral health centers, and resource organizations.
• Physician Practice Management Provides consulting and management services to large and small medical practices (private or provider-owned), assisting with medical practice operations, financial services, billing and coding assessment, reimbursement arrangements, compensation plan development, practice valuation, revenue assessment, and managed care contracting.
• Payer Management and Health Insurance Broker Services Represents healthcare providers and institutions in payer contract negotiations including data analysis, strategy, and case building. Provides expertise in design and implementation of alternative payment models, and serves as a licensed producer for life, accident, and health insurance, designing and negotiating healthcare benefits for providers, large employers, government agencies, and unions.
• Joint Venture & Association Management/Facilitation Provides management services for healthcare businesses and associations, including comprehensive business management, administrative support, technology assistance, and workgroup facilitation. Manages multiple joint ventures including New Hampshire Health Plan, New Hampshire Imaging Services, Rural Home Care Network, VNA Health Systems, NH Community Behavioral Health Association, and vaccine associations for NH and WA.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helms managed the New Hampshire Health Plan's $40M state High Risk Pool and $70M federal PCIP, enrolling the first subscriber in the nation for the PCIP program (first ACA initiative).
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers40 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major (legacy), minor (legacy) and minor.

• New Hampshire Imaging Services, Inc. (NHIS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms created and manages this joint venture of 13 member hospitals and one multi-specialty group practice, providing mobile MRI and PET services to 15 sites in NH and VT with $10M+ in annual revenue. Operations Manager Colleen Lalumiere manages contracts for 25 sites, AR/AP, budgets, taxes, financials, scheduling, and daily operations.
• New Hampshire Health Plan (NHHP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms manages the $40M state High Risk Pool and the $70M federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). NHHP signed the first CMS contract for the PCIP program and enrolled the first subscriber in the nation. Executive Director J. Michael Degnan has led NHHP since 2007. Helms also provides IT support and development.
• Rural Home Care Network, LLC (RHCN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms created and manages this eight-member collaborative of not-for-profit rural home health agencies located in central and northern New Hampshire. Project Specialist Victoria Bram supports RHCN administration.
• VNA Health System of Northern New England, Inc. (VNAHSNNE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms manages this consortium of the six largest VNA agencies serving NH, VT, and Southern Maine, which collectively represent $120M in annual revenue.
• VNA Health System of VT, Inc. (VNAHSVT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms manages this consortium of nine VT VNAs, which collectively generate $106M in annual revenue.
• NH Community Behavioral Health Association (NHCBHA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms provides consulting and management services in organizational development, communication strategies, legislative relations, and financial management for an association of NH's 10 mental health centers, which collectively earn over $90M annually. President Roland P. Lamy Jr. serves as NHCBHA's Executive Director.
• New England Alliance for Health (NEAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms provides network support including physician benchmarking, payer contract support, strategic Board support, and other related services to NEAH's 14 health institutions (12 hospitals, a Community Mental Health Center, and a VNA) serving NH and VT.
• New Hampshire Vaccine Association (NHVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms serves as the administrator for NHVA, with responsibility for the payer assessment and collections processes, payments to the State of NH, vendor management, governance support, and finances. Principal Patrick Miller serves as Executive Director.
• Washington Vaccine Association (WVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms serves as the administrator for WVA, with responsibility for administration of the dosage-based assessment (DBA) process, finances and financial modeling, payments to the State of Washington, analytics, and governance support. Principal Patrick Miller serves as Administrative Director. IT Lead Roger Tetu provides technology support and development.
• Behavioral Health Network, Inc. (BHN)major (legacy)Strategic or Co-development PartnerHelms developed and ran this managed behavioral health care company — a for-profit, provider-owned corporation of 10 mental health centers and five acute care hospitals with $26M in annual revenue. In 2006, Helms brokered BHN's sale to a Fortune 100 company, creating substantial return for its owners.
• New Hampshire Lithotripter Center, Inc. (NHLC)minor (legacy)Strategic or Co-development PartnerHelms created and managed this mobile Lithotripter service to 21 sites in NH, VT, and ME with $1.5M in annual revenue.
• Integrated Eye Care, Inc. (IEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms created and provided management, marketing, and payer relations services to a statewide, ophthalmology-directed routine vision care network, including ophthalmologists, affiliated optometrists, and opticians.
• State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch / Administrative Offices of the CourtsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHelms provides program management of the state-mandated Child Impact Program, in collaboration with the State of NH Judicial Branch through the Administrative Offices of the Courts.
• Maine Department of Health and Human ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelms provides financial management for several Maine DHHS Mental Health programs.
• OneCare VermontminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKevin Stone (Senior Consultant) served as Interim CEO of OneCare Vermont when it was the nation's largest statewide Accountable Care Organization. He was also past Board Chair.
• University of New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice (IHPP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrincipal Patrick Miller previously directed the IHPP and developed and managed the national All-Payer Claims Database Council while there; Senior Consultant Jo Porter served as IHPP Director for over seven years.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ECG Management Consultants: Healthcare consulting firm focused on hospitals, health systems, and physician practices with services in strategy, payer contracting, operations, and M&A. Direct overlap with Helms' physician practice management, strategic planning, and payer management service lines.
• The Chartis Group: Specialist healthcare consulting firm serving hospitals, health systems, and physician enterprises with strategy, operations, and payer strategy engagements. Comparable to Helms' provider-focused consulting portfolio but at significantly greater scale and national reach.
• BDC Advisors: Specialized healthcare strategy consulting firm serving health systems, payers, and providers. Comparable in scale and service mix to Helms, with particular overlap in payer-provider strategy and value-based-care advisory.
• BerryDunn: Regional New England-based CPA and consulting firm with a substantial healthcare practice serving hospitals, physician practices, and long-term care providers. Closest comparable in size and geographic footprint to Helms & Company, with overlapping consulting offerings in strategy, operations, and payer-related work.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company (Healthcare Practice): Global management consulting firm with a large dedicated healthcare practice serving payers, providers, and associations. Competitor on strategic plan development, M&A advisory, and large-scale association management, though at dramatically higher price points and broader geographic scope.
• Optum (UnitedHealth Group): Diversified health services platform combining payer, provider, and consulting/advisory capabilities. Represents the largest scaled competitor with bundled consulting-plus-technology offerings that could displace regional advisors like Helms on payer strategy and ACO enablement work.
• Huron Consulting Group: Large national consulting firm with a dedicated healthcare practice spanning strategy, operations, technology, and revenue cycle. Competes with Helms on the operational performance and strategic planning service lines, but at much larger scale and with proprietary technology and analytics assets.
• Premier Inc. Healthcare performance improvement company serving hospitals and health systems with consulting, data, and supply-chain services. Overlaps with Helms on operational performance support and association-style member services, but operates as a GPO-enabled scaled platform.

Emerging players

• Tiber Creek Consulting: Smaller specialized healthcare consulting firm providing interim executive management, strategic planning, and operational support to community hospitals and physician practices. Highly comparable niche overlap with Helms' executive support and interim management service line.

Regional players

• Baker Newman Noyes: New England-based accounting and consulting firm with a healthcare industry group serving hospitals, physician practices, and human service organizations. Comparable regional peer with similar relationship-driven delivery model, though consulting practice is broader than Helms' healthcare specialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helms-and-company-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Helms & Company