Matter Health Fortifies Leadership for National Home-Care Expansion

NASHVILLE, TN – May 20, 2026 – Matter Health, a company focused on delivering home-based medical care to seniors in affordable housing, is signaling a significant acceleration of its national growth strategy with the appointment of three seasoned executives. The Nashville-based firm announced the addition of Robert Machen as Chief Operating Officer, Sharon Herrick as General Counsel, and B.J. Vaughn as Chief Human Resources Officer. These strategic hires come as the company prepares to scale its unique care model, which targets dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid recipients, across Tennessee in 2026 before expanding to additional states.

A Strategic Push for National Scale

The recruitment of Machen, Herrick, and Vaughn represents a deliberate move to build an executive team capable of navigating the complexities of a multi-state healthcare operation. Matter Health’s model, which embeds clinical services directly within affordable housing communities, requires a sophisticated approach to operations, legal compliance, and talent management—areas where the new leaders bring extensive expertise from major players like The Cigna Group, Optum, and Elevance.

“As Matter Health continues to grow, we are building a leadership team capable of nationally scaling our mission while staying deeply connected to the people we serve,” said Michael Scarbrough, CEO of Matter Health, in a statement. He emphasized that the new executives not only possess extraordinary experience but also share the company's core belief in providing dignified, high-quality care to older adults.

This leadership fortification is crucial as the company, which has raised $35 million in funding, moves from a promising regional player to a national entity. Scaling a home-based care model involves immense logistical and regulatory challenges, and these hires are a clear indication that Matter Health is investing in the infrastructure needed to support its ambitious expansion plans.

Targeting a Critical Care Gap

Matter Health operates at the intersection of healthcare and housing, focusing on a demographic that is often underserved: dual-eligible seniors. These individuals, who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, frequently manage multiple chronic conditions and face significant barriers to accessing consistent medical care. By partnering with affordable housing operators, the company brings primary, preventive, and urgent care services directly to residents' homes.

This model is exemplified by its partnership with Columbia Residential, a prominent affordable housing developer. Matter Health has established on-site clinics in its communities, such as the one at Columbia Heritage Senior Residences in Atlanta, Georgia. This approach aims to identify health risks earlier, prevent costly hospitalizations, and manage chronic diseases more effectively by addressing both medical needs and social determinants of health.

The demand for such services is immense. With 12.2 million people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid as of 2018 and an aging baby-boomer generation, the need for innovative, community-based care models is more pressing than ever. Matter Health’s focus on this specific niche positions it to make a substantial impact on health equity for a vulnerable population.

Navigating a Complex Regulatory Environment

While the mission is clear, the path to national expansion is fraught with regulatory hurdles. The home health industry is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in healthcare, with a complex web of federal and state rules. Providers must contend with varying state-level licensing laws, scope-of-practice regulations for clinicians, and the intricate payment systems of both Medicare and Medicaid.

This landscape has become even more challenging recently. Citing concerns over fraud and abuse, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) instituted a nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies in May 2026. While the moratorium doesn't automatically apply to Medicaid, CMS has encouraged states to consider similar actions. This heightened scrutiny makes navigating market entry and compliance more critical than ever.

The appointment of Sharon Herrick as General Counsel is a direct response to this reality. Her deep background in healthcare law and regulatory strategy from her time at organizations like Inbound Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will be pivotal. “The model we are building at Matter Health has the potential to reshape how care is delivered to underserved populations,” Herrick stated, acknowledging the opportunity to improve access within a challenging legal framework.

Assembling a High-Caliber Team

The new executives bring pedigrees that underscore the attractiveness of Matter Health’s model to top industry talent.

Robert Machen, the new COO, joins from senior roles at The Cigna Group and Prospero Health, which was later acquired by Optum. At Optum, he managed technology for home-based medical care across 40 states, giving him direct experience in scaling the very services Matter Health provides. “We are at an important moment where advances in technology are making it possible to deliver high-quality, home-based care more efficiently and at greater scale,” Machen said. His operational and technological expertise will be instrumental in building a robust and efficient delivery system.

B.J. Vaughn, the new Chief Human Resources Officer, has a track record of managing talent and culture during periods of rapid growth at companies like Elevance, Change Healthcare, and Amerigroup. As Matter Health expands, maintaining a strong, mission-driven culture will be essential to attracting and retaining clinicians and staff. “Matter Health’s mission immediately resonated with me because it combines purpose-driven work with an opportunity to build something truly transformative,” Vaughn commented. Her role will be central to ensuring the organization's human capital can support its strategic ambitions.

By attracting leaders of this caliber, Matter Health is not only preparing for its next phase of growth but also making a statement about the viability and importance of its mission. Their collective experience in scaling operations, navigating legal complexities, and building strong teams will be instrumental as the company works to redefine care for one of the nation's most vulnerable populations.