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| The cooperative
healthcare system began in the 1930s, and a number of established plans
since that time have proven themselves as a model of quality care and
low overhead expenses. A health care CO-OP is governed and run by its
members and is subject to state and federal laws governing all insurers.
Unlike traditional insurance, however, any profits earned must be used
to either lower premiums or to improve benefits. Coops must seek and
receive approval from their state insurance departments to operate as a
health insurance company and follow all the insurance laws of their home
state. The Affordable Care Act created the CO-OP loan program, providing seed money to fund health cooperatives in all 50 states. The Act (section 1322) requires that a health cooperative, known as a “Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan” (“Coop”) is formed as a nonprofit, controlled by and operated on behalf of its members. Congress has appropriated $3.4 billion in loans to spur their implementation. 16 health CO-OPs have already signed loan agreements with HHS totaling $1.24 billion. A majority of states across the country have CO-OP development groups in various stages of the application process. None of the CO-OPs currently in the Affordable Care pipeline are currently operational, and are in various stages of development. What does the future of healthcare cooperatives hold? The potential answers are of significance not only to healthcooperative stakeholders, but to all organizations involved in some aspect of the delivery of healthcare benefits, as applicable cooperatives will be available side-by-side with other health plan alternatives. Health plans, provider networks, employers, PBMs, pharmaceutical organizations, state regulatory agencies, benefit consultants, solutions providers and many others all have a stake in monitoring and understanding the role and implications of ongoing development and operations of healthcare cooperatives. Join us for this important HealthcareWebSummit event: the Future of Health Cooperatives, at 1PM Eastern on Thursday, September 27, 2012, as three nationally noted stakeholders in the Health Cooperative movement share their insights, perspectives and experiences on their own organizational development, and overarching issues going forward for healthcare cooperatives around the country. The prominent faculty includes: John Morrison, President, National Alliance of State Health Cooperatives (NASHCO), Board Member of the Montana Health Cooperative and former Montana Insurance Commissioner; Jerry Burgess, President/CEO of Consumers' Choice Health Plan in North Charleston, SC; and Martin Hickey, MD, Chief Executive Officer, New Mexico Health Connections. |
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Participants will be able to:
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Interested attendees would
include:
Attendees would represent organizations including:
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