Oscar, one of the country’s fastest growing health insurance startups offering consumer-focused, technology-driven healthcare, today announced that it will expand its presence in Tempe, leasing an additional 46,000 square feet of space at The Circuit, EverWest Real Estate Investors’ adaptive reuse project located just southeast of the Loop 101-202 interchange, minutes from downtown Tempe. This new contract will double Oscar’s total footprint at The Circuit to 139,000 square feet, and the additional space will enable Oscar’s creation of 400 new jobs in Tempe by 2020. Oscar plans to move into the new space in the summer of 2019.
The expansion comes just two years after Oscar moved its member services team from New York City to The Circuit in June 2016. Since then, Oscar’s member services team, known as the Concierge Team, has become a core component of Oscar’s promise for a simple, easy, more member-focused health care experience. Every Oscar member is paired with a team of care guides and nurse practitioners who help members navigate the health care system’s complex processes, from finding the right, local doctor to understanding a recent claim.
The decision to expand Oscar’s Tempe office also comes as Oscar Health Plan, Inc. and its affiliates prepare to cover 14 metro areas in 2019, including Maricopa County, for the first time. Maricopa County residents can sign up for Oscar plans during Open Enrollment between Nov. 1st and Dec. 15th.
“Oscar’s Concierge Team in Tempe is crucial to our vision for a more member-focused health care experience, and we are thrilled to be investing more in Arizona as our membership grows,” said Mario Schlosser, CEO and Co-Founder of Oscar. “I’m proud of the office culture we’re building at The Circuit, driven by talented employees with a clear passion for providing exceptional support to our members, and we are all looking forward to bringing Oscar’s health plans to Maricopa County residents for the first time in 2019.”
Tempe’s strong convergence of customer service and health care workers drove Oscar’s decision to build its Concierge team in the city, where the company knew it would have immediate access to a sophisticated, experienced workforce that would thrive in a complex industry.
“Our city strives to provide high quality jobs to our residents, and Oscar is bringing them. We are proud that Tempe’s smart, dedicated workforce is part of Oscar’s fast growth and national success, and we appreciate the investment that Oscar is making in our community,” said Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell.
“Not only does the Oscar Health expansion create new job opportunities for our citizens, it offers the residents of Maricopa County a new option for health care coverage,” said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. “Oscar, with its focus on providing innovative solutions to help improve lives and its commitment to building a strong workplace culture, is a company we’re proud to see grow here in Arizona.”
“We could not be more pleased that Oscar Health has had great success in Arizona since its decision to locate here in 2016,” said Sandra Watson, President & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “Our state’s skilled talent is consistently a top factor in attracting companies like Oscar seeking to scale their operations and provide unparalleled service to their customers. We thank Oscar for continuing to invest in Arizona and congratulate them on their growth.”
The Circuit was redeveloped in 2015 from a former semiconductor building into premier creative office space with 17-foot ceilings, more than 60 skylights and an indoor-outdoor layout enhanced with glass roll-up doors, landscaped patios and outdoor collaboration areas. Since Oscar’s move-in, it has been the perfect fit for the company’s collaborative and innovative culture, and the space’s proximity to transportation has enabled Oscar to fully leverage Maricopa County’s workforce.
“We developed The Circuit as a very modern space that would attract and retain talented young professionals, ” said Amr Ceran, Director of Asset Management for EverWest Real Estate Investors. “Oscar has put that unique design to its highest and best use to foster collaboration and growth. We congratulate them on this milestone.”
The new lease was officially signed at the end of October. JLL Executive Vice President Ryan Bartos represented Oscar in the deal.
