John Kao

Alignment Health

Founder

John Kao, founder and CEO of Alignment Health, has dedicated more than 30 years to transforming healthcare with a mission to put seniors first. Since launching Alignment in Orange County over a decade ago, he and his team have built one of the nation’s fastest-growing Medicare Advantage companies, now serving more than 209,000 seniors across five states, with the majority in California.

Since leading Alignment’s IPO on NASDAQ in March 2021, Kao has driven consistent growth across key performance measures, including membership, revenue, adjusted gross profit and adjusted EBITDA. In 2024, Alignment reported $2.70 billion in total revenue, up 48.3% year-over-year, and achieved its first $2-billion revenue milestone. For Q4 2024, revenue reached $701.2 million, a 50.7% increase over the prior year. Membership also surged, with 35% growth in January 2025 following a record 44% increase the previous year.

Alignment has paired this growth with industry-leading quality ratings. For 2025, more than 98% of its members are in Medicare Advantage plans rated 4 stars or higher by CMS. Its North Carolina and Nevada HMO contracts retained a 5-star rating for the third consecutive year, one of only nine nationwide to achieve this distinction. In California, its PPO plan earned 4.5 stars, and its HMO plan maintained at least 4 stars for eight consecutive years. Alignment was also recognized by Newsweek in 2024 as one of the World’s Most Trustworthy Companies.

Guided by values of putting seniors first, supporting physicians, leveraging technology and leading with a serving heart, Kao has created a culture rooted in compassion and accountability. Named to Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare in 2023, he continues to share his expertise at leading industry forums and through media outlets. A graduate of Santa Clara University and UCLA Anderson, he serves on UCLA Anderson’s board of advisors.