Brookfield, WI – Building on the organization’s commitment to putting the health of members first, Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative today announced several major milestones for the soon-to-beavailable health insurance carrier.
First, the nonprofit health insurance carrier announced two critical partnerships that will allow for expansive, affordable individual and small group health insurance programs for customers throughout eastern Wisconsin.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative has formed a partnership with Aurora Health Care, a leading Wisconsin not-for-profit health care provider. The agreement focuses on an integrated care approach to services offered to patients and will allow members to choose from a variety of Aurora providers throughout eastern Wisconsin.
“Our focus is to put our member’s health first, and we believe it’s critical to provide an integrated system where physicians and hospitals work together to coordinate our member’s care,” said Bob De Vita, chief executive officer at Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative. “We chose Aurora Health Care as our partner because they have developed a model of care that improves quality and efficiency and enhances the patient’s health care experience.”
Rick Klein, executive vice president of growth and market development at Aurora, said, “This collaborative effort between Aurora and Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative gives Wisconsin residents the opportunity to not only access quality health care, but care that is coordinated to improve outcomes, eliminate waste and curb costs .”
In addition to the Aurora provider network offering, Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative announced an agreement with Trilogy Health Network, which will allow members to choose health insurance products that allow for a broader choice of health care providers.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative has applied to participate on the Health Insurance Exchange (Marketplace) and to expand its service area and offer these networks both on and off the Marketplace.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative also announced expansion of its service area when its products are available beginning October 1, 2013. Residents and employers across nineteen counties throughout eastern Wisconsin will now be able to choose Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative as their insurance carrier in October for a January 1, 2014 effective date.
Joining the original seven counties of Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Waukesha, Walworth, Washington and
Ozaukee are the twelve new counties of Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan and Winnebago in the service area of Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative.
“As we have evolved as an organization over the past year and a half, we’ve worked to find the right partners that can help us bring affordable, quality healthcare services to our members,” said Bob Connolly, chairman of the board of directors and small business owner. “Being able to have partnerships with Aurora and Trilogy, and to be able to nearly triple the service area to allow more people to join Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative is just tremendous. We can’t wait to roll out our new products later this year.”
In February 2012, Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative was awarded a $56.4 million loan from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to build the new nonprofit organization and bring affordable healthcare to the region beginning January 1, 2014. The loan was made available under the Federal Affordable Care Act to fund the start-up of insurance companies that would be a cooperative healthcare model to provide more affordable health insurance to small businesses, nonprofits and individuals.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative is based in Brookfield and its products will be available to individuals, nonprofits and small businesses for enrollment in October 2013 with coverage that will go into effect January 1,
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative is a member governed and operated healthcare company serving nineteen counties in eastern Wisconsin. The Cooperative’s mission is to deliver the finest in affordable healthcare solutions to individuals, small businesses and nonprofits throughout Wisconsin. Founded in 2012, the company will begin insuring residents in January 2014. For more information, visit www.commongroundhealthcare.org.
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative
Contact: Bob De Vita
Phone: 1-414-219-9994
Aurora Health Care
Contact: Myrle Croasdale
Phone: 1-414-299-1691