Company Description
Alignment Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALHC) is a Medicare Advantage-focused health insurance company in the United States. According to company disclosures and recent news, it operates through its consumer brand Alignment Health and offers Medicare Advantage (MA) health plans for seniors, primarily through Alignment Health Plan. The company is based in California and is classified in the Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers industry within the broader finance and insurance sector.
Alignment Healthcare centers its business on senior care, with a stated goal of helping members "age well" and live vibrant lives. Its Medicare Advantage plans are described as high-quality, low-cost care options for eligible seniors. The company markets and sells MA plans direct-to-consumer, as noted in the Polygon description, allowing seniors to choose their coverage and services during the annual Medicare enrollment periods. Revenue is generated through earned premiums on these health plans, as reflected in its condensed consolidated statements of operations, which list earned premiums and other revenues.
Business model and care approach
Alignment Healthcare combines a technology platform with a clinical care model. Company materials state that care is delivered through a customized care model, a 24/7 concierge care team, and a purpose-built technology platform called AVA®. This structure is intended to support coordinated care for Medicare Advantage members. The company partners with nationally recognized and trusted local providers to deliver care, indicating that it works with external health systems and physician groups rather than operating as a standalone provider network.
Alignment’s model focuses on coordinated, member-centered care for seniors. Company descriptions emphasize values such as leading with a serving heart and putting the senior first. Its plans often include supplemental benefits such as vision and hearing coverage, routine transportation, grocery and meal support, personal emergency response systems, in-home support and caregiver reimbursements, as described in its 2026 Medicare Advantage product announcements. In addition, Alignment offers special needs plans (SNPs) for members with chronic conditions or dual Medicare-Medicaid eligibility, many of which include an "Essentials" allowance that can be used for everyday needs like groceries, utilities and home safety items.
Medicare Advantage focus and geographic footprint
Recent press releases state that Alignment Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage options in five states: Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas. For 2026, the company reports offering 68 plans across 45 counties, reaching nearly 8.3 million Medicare-eligible adults in its service areas, based on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data cited in its announcements. Within these states, Alignment provides a mix of HMO plans, chronic condition special needs plans (C-SNPs), and dual-eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs), as detailed in its 2026 product portfolio release.
Alignment also highlights specific market initiatives. For example, it offers the el ÚNICO ("The ONE") plan designed for Hispanic seniors in Arizona, with bilingual services and benefits tailored to cultural preferences. It has expanded access to bilingual primary care in Arizona through an agreement with Suvida Healthcare, a primary care group focused on Medicare-eligible Hispanic older adults. In Nevada, Alignment has launched a co-branded HMO plan with Intermountain Health, featuring a $0 premium and benefits aimed at addressing food insecurity and transportation barriers for seniors in Clark County.
Quality ratings and recognition
Alignment Healthcare emphasizes its performance on CMS Star Ratings, which evaluate Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. Company communications state that:
- 100% of its Medicare Advantage members are enrolled in plans rated 4 stars or higher for the second consecutive year, based on CMS data for the 2026 rating year.
- Its California HMO contract, representing a large share of its membership, has maintained a 4-star or higher rating for nine straight years.
- It has two 5-star HMO contracts in Nevada, and its HMO contracts in Nevada and North Carolina have retained 5-star ratings for multiple years.
- Its Texas HMO contract earned 4.5 stars in its first year of eligibility.
In addition to CMS ratings, U.S. News & World Report has named Alignment Health Plan a "Best Insurance Company for Medicare Advantage" for 2026 in all five states where it operates: Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas. The recognition is based on a proprietary analysis of CMS quality measures. Company statements note that relatively few Medicare Advantage providers receive this designation and highlight repeated recognition in several states over multiple years.
Technology platform and concierge support
Alignment Healthcare describes its technology as a purpose-built platform, AVA®, which supports its care model and member services. The company also offers an ACCESS On-Demand Concierge program, which is available to all members at no additional cost. According to its 2026 product announcement, this program provides:
- 24/7 support from a concierge team that helps members navigate plan services and benefits.
- A virtual care center for urgent medical needs and care coordination.
- An all-in-one debit card with monthly allowances that can be used for over-the-counter items, groceries and other essentials at a large network of retailers.
These features are presented by the company as tools to make it easier for seniors to access care and manage their benefits, complementing its network of local provider partners.
Financial reporting and public company status
Alignment Healthcare is a public company listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ALHC. It files periodic reports and current reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Recent Form 8-K filings reference quarterly earnings press releases and investor presentations, including discussions of membership growth, revenue, adjusted gross profit and adjusted EBITDA. The company uses non-GAAP financial measures such as adjusted gross profit and adjusted EBITDA, which it defines in its press releases and reconciliation tables. These measures adjust for items such as depreciation and amortization, equity-based compensation, restructuring costs, certain litigation costs and acquisition-related expenses.
Its condensed consolidated financial statements show revenue primarily from earned premiums and detail expenses such as medical expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses, and depreciation and amortization. The company also reports medical expenses payable and long-term debt among its liabilities, along with common stock and additional paid-in capital in stockholders’ equity.
Member growth and scale
Alignment Healthcare reports rapid membership growth in its Medicare Advantage plans. In a January 2026 release, the company announced approximately 275,300 health plan members as of January 1, 2026, describing this as 31% year-over-year growth following the annual enrollment period. It also notes that since its IPO in 2021, it has achieved a compounded annual membership growth rate of about 30%. These figures are used by the company to illustrate its expansion within the Medicare Advantage market.
Guidance and outlook statements in its news releases describe expected ranges for future membership and adjusted EBITDA, but those projections are explicitly identified as forward-looking and subject to risks, as detailed in its SEC filings and risk factor discussions in its annual reports.
Partnerships and targeted offerings
Alignment Healthcare emphasizes partnerships with local and regional health systems and primary care groups. Examples in recent announcements include:
- A collaboration with Suvida Healthcare to expand access to bilingual, culturally attuned primary care for Medicare-eligible adults in Maricopa and Pima counties in Arizona.
- An expanded relationship with Intermountain Health in Nevada, including a co-branded HMO plan offering $0 premiums and specific supplemental benefits for Clark County seniors.
The company also develops specialized plans such as el ÚNICO for Hispanic seniors and multiple chronic condition special needs plans, which are designed for members with conditions like heart disease and diabetes, as described in its Arizona and multi-state product releases. These offerings are presented as part of its strategy to address social and cultural factors that affect seniors’ ability to access and benefit from care.
Position within the insurance and senior care landscape
Within the direct health and medical insurance industry, Alignment Healthcare positions itself as a Medicare Advantage company focused on care coordination, technology-enabled support and quality metrics. Its emphasis on CMS Star Ratings, U.S. News & World Report recognition, and specialized plans for diverse senior populations reflects a strategy centered on quality and member experience, as described in its own communications.
Investors and analysts interested in ALHC typically review the company’s SEC filings, earnings releases, Medicare Advantage plan materials and CMS rating data to understand its financial performance, membership trends, benefit design and quality outcomes. The company’s stated mission, as repeated across its news releases, is to "champion a new path in senior care" by making high-quality, low-cost care a reality for Medicare Advantage members, supported by its care model, concierge services and AVA technology platform.