Vericare History

San Diego-based Vericare was founded in 1991 as Senior Psychology Services by Thomas Cooper, M.D., pictured above. The company was formed shortly after Medicare began recognizing psychologists as independent health care providers to Medicare beneficiaries. Prior to this time, the elderly were required to pay out-of-pocket for needed psychological services. The Omnibus Budget and Reconciliation Act (OBRA), passed in 1987, was an important legislative initiative which promoted the provision of geriatric psychology and geriatric psychiatry services to residents of long-term care communities. The mandate focused on patient rights and quality of life issues and was followed by the funding of mental health benefits and geriatric services through Medicare. This action effectively gave birth to ancillary mental health services in nursing homes. Vericare was one of the very early entrants into the business. The company’s founding values of quality services provided by quality people, promises being kept, prompt response to any situation and an honest, high integrity approach to every undertaking remain the bedrock on which the company operates today.

Dr. Tom Cooper
Founder and Chairman of the Board

Having been raised by his maternal grandmother, Dr. Cooper’s interest in helping the elderly isn’t surprising. He established Vericare, after being asked by healthcare industry leaders to review how patients were receiving psychiatric services in nursing homes. Although Medicare had provided funding for the psychological care of seniors, Cooper found that there were few psychiatrists or psychologists treating elderly patients in a systematic way. Patients didn’t know where to go for help and didn’t understand their benefits. After contacting the American Psychological Association and interviewing the few psychologists who specialized in elder care services, he formed a partnership with a San Diego psychologist and built a national network of psychiatrists and psychologists that partnered with well-respected, long-term care facilities to deliver quality behavioral health care services. The new company, Senior Psychological Services is now named Vericare.

Today, Dr. Cooper’s knowledge and entrepreneurial skills are so well regarded that he serves as an adjunct professor at the Columbia University’s School of Business and guest lecturer at the business schools of Harvard, Wharton, University of California Irvine and Brigham Young University. He currently serves on the board of directors of three publicly held and three privately held healthcare companies, including Vericare where he is Chairman of the Board of Directors.