Consumers are seeing many more choices for the second year of the insurance marketplace in Illinois, including a pioneering partnership between a hospital group and the Land of Lincoln Mutual Health Insurance Co.
Adventist Midwest Health, the parent company of Adventist Hinsdale and La Grange Memorial hospitals, began offering Adventist Lincoln Health Insurance Nov. 15 for individuals, families and small business groups.
“It’s actually a great concept and a win-win for both organizations,” said Jeff Anderson, regional director of managed care for Adventist Midwest Health.
By signing up for the new plan, consumers have access to four hospitals and more than 800 physicians in the Adventist system at a preferred rate, as well as all the physicians and hospitals available through the Land of Lincoln network, he said.
Rates are lower for the Adventist plan than for the separate Land of Lincoln plan, Anderson said. Information is available online.
Land of Lincoln was a newly formed company for the launch of Obamacare through the Illinois insurance marketplace a year ago. Only about 3 or 4 percent of the 217,000 insurance enrollees chose the startup, Anderson said.
As operations were adjusted and pricing was revamped, the company began talks in April with the hospital group to form a partnership, Anderson said.
By Dec. 9, 250 individuals or families had enrolled in the new plan, said Laura Nozicka, marketing director for Adventist Hinsdale and La Grange hospitals.
“If their overall membership last year was 3 to 4 percent of the marketplace, we’re already on pace to get that,” Anderson said. “We’re still getting the word out.”
Anderson said stepped up marketing efforts are due to begin in January, particularly to small businesses looking to meet federal requirements by providing good cost-effective coverage.