Headquarters Health, a specialized virtual clinic focused on concussion care, has announced a landmark partnership with the HeadStrong Concussion Insurance Program designed to provide covered youth athletes with rapid access to comprehensive medical treatment with zero out-of-pocket costs. The collaboration aims to bridge a critical gap in youth sports medicine by streamlining the intersection of specialized neurological care, insurance coverage, and financial protection for families navigating the aftermath of a head injury.
Under the new arrangement, participating youth sports programs enrolled in HeadStrong will unlock immediate next-day access to specialized concussion evaluations and ongoing treatment through Headquarters Health. By integrating the virtual clinic’s infrastructure directly with the insurance provider, the program seeks to eliminate the administrative friction, confusing billing cycles, and high medical expenses that frequently accompany sports-related head injuries.
Orestis Skoutellas, co-founder of Headquarters Health, emphasized the emotional and logistical relief the partnership aims to provide to families during an already stressful time. A concussion is inherently chaotic for a young athlete and their parents, and navigating the complexities of medical billing or worrying about the price of specialized care should never be an obstacle to recovery, according to Skoutellas. By building the underlying infrastructure to ensure coverage, claims, and billing run seamlessly behind the scenes, any athlete covered by HeadStrong can now access specialized next-day care with no financial burden.
The collaboration represents a significant step forward in standardizing how head injuries are handled across youth and scholastic sports leagues. Christian Reed, the creator of the HeadStrong Concussion Program and Vice President and Practice Leader of Collegiate and High Schools Sports at HUB International, noted that the initiative sets a new benchmark for specialized treatment. By meeting athletes, families, and organizations with certainty, speed, and specialized medical expertise, the partnership addresses the most critical needs of the sports community when an injury occurs.
The mechanics of the program are designed to be frictionless for families. Athletes are automatically covered the moment their respective sports league, school district, or athletic program enrolls in HeadStrong. There are no individual applications to fill out, no upfront paperwork, and no mandatory healthcare questionnaires required to activate the benefit.
The insurance program provides up to $25,000 in comprehensive coverage per individual injury, operating with a zero-dollar deductible and completely eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for the families. The policy is structured to cover the entire spectrum of neurological care required for a safe and thorough recovery. This encompasses everything from the initial professional diagnosis and specialist consultations to necessary medical imaging, advanced cognitive testing, and ongoing follow-up care.
Furthermore, HeadStrong functions as a secondary insurance policy that works in tandem with an athlete’s existing family health insurance plan. In situations where an injured youth athlete lacks primary health insurance coverage, HeadStrong is fully equipped to step in and serve as the primary payor, ensuring that no child is ever turned away from necessary medical evaluation.
Justin Vandewynkle, program manager for the HeadStrong Concussion Program at HUB International, highlighted the personal perspective he brings to the initiative as both an insurance professional and a youth sports coach. Having witnessed firsthand the profound impact concussions can have on developing athletes and their households, Vandewynkle stressed that financial constraints should never dictate whether a child receives proper medical attention. The program is designed to put athletes first, offering families ultimate peace of mind by removing the financial weight associated with specialized neurological recovery.
The HeadStrong program itself has a long history within the sports insurance sector. Developed by Dissinger Reed, a specialized division of HUB International, the program is recognized as the longest-running concussion-only insurance initiative in the United States. Backing the financial and claims operations of the program is Mutual of Omaha, which serves as the designated insurance carrier and claims payor.
Brian Kalasek, Vice President of Special Risk at Mutual of Omaha, pointed out the practical advantages the program offers to local sports leagues, athletic associations, and school districts. The HeadStrong Concussion Insurance Program provides a reliable mechanism to protect student-athletes and their families while simultaneously helping educational and athletic organizations fortify their overall risk management strategies. With zero-deductible protection, zero copays, guaranteed access to neurological follow-up, telehealth services when appropriate, and an absence of restrictive provider referrals, the program actively fosters safer return-to-play and return-to-classroom decisions.
To date, the HeadStrong program has provided coverage and protection to more than 700,000 athletes across the United States. Any school district, athletic conference, or youth sports program nationwide is eligible to purchase coverage through the program. The annual cost is set at $1.35 per participating athlete, a fee that directly incorporates access to the Headquarters Health telehealth clinic and its specialized medical network.
For additional information regarding the virtual clinic and its specialized services, interested parties can visit the Headquarters Health website at headquarters.health. Further details about the HeadStrong Concussion Insurance Program and enrollment options for schools and sports leagues can be found through the HUB International high school sports insurance portal.
