Julius Combs, M.D., a native Detroiter and retired chairman of the NationaHealthcare Scholars Foundation dies at 89.
He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wayne State University and his medical degree and residency training in obstetrics and gynecology from the WSU School of Medicine.
In 1968, he and Charles Vincent, M.D., organized the Vincent and Combs Professional Corp., the first medical service corporation in the state of Michigan. He became a member of the clinical faculty at WSU in 1968 and retired as an assistant clinical professor in 1996.
Dr. Combs served as chairman of Omnicare Healthcare Plan, the first licensed HMO in Michigan, from 1980 to 1992. In 1984, he co-founded the United American Healthcare Corp., a full-service HMO management company. He was elected chairman and chief executive officer, retiring in 1998. The company was successful in obtaining management contracts with HMOs in Ohio, New York, Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Michigan.
In 1987, UAHC formed the National Healthcare Scholars Foundation, which provided grants to students at five medical schools and nursing schools. From 1992 until ceasing operations in 2009, the foundation provided grants of more than $1.5 million.
Combs also belonged to the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (Alpha Beta 1951)
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