Centivo, a Buffalo, New York-based health plan startup targeting self-insured employers, has hired Tara Johnson as its first-ever general counsel.

Johnson brings to Centivo 15 years of experience in the health care industry. She joins Centivo from UnitedHealthcare, where she has held several legal positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as senior associate general counsel and director of regulatory affairs.

Johnson said she joined Centivo because she was inspired by the firm's mission to restore health care affordability to everyday working Americans, "many of whom are far too often forced to decide between obtaining health care and paying their rent or mortgage because they cannot afford to do both."

"I was also excited about the prospect of building out a legal and compliance function for a growing, innovative organization that is transforming the healthcare industry through its unique product and service offerings," she said.

In this new role, Johnson will lead Centivo's legal function and advise on all legal matters in support of its clients and members. That includes commercial contracting, data privacy activities and the evolving healthcare regulatory and compliance environment. She will report to Stuart Roth, Centivo's chief business officer.

"Centivo's significant growth over the past three years, in both number of clients and expanded product offering, has brought with it the need for a seasoned and talented general counsel with a keen understanding of our industry, both where it's been and where it's going," Roth said in a statement.

Prior to UnitedHealthcare, Johnson held several key legal and business positions at Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield. She began her law career as assistant district attorney for Monroe County, New York.

Centivo, which was founded in 2017, recently received a $30 million investment from Morgan Health, a new business unit of Wall Street giant JPMorgan Chase. To date, the firm has raised $148 million.