MHS Health Wisconsin contracts with Integrated Health Network for new Ambetter commercial health plans
MILWAUKEE, Nov. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — MHS Health Wisconsin (also known as Managed Health Services) has entered into a contract with Integrated Health Network of Wisconsin (IHN). Under the agreement, Integrated Health Network will be the provider network for MHS Health’s new line of commercial health plans, called Ambetter from MHS Health Wisconsin. The Ambetter plans will be offered on the Health InsuranceMarketplace in November 2014.
The Ambetter plans are the only commercial products on the Marketplace that have Integrated Health Network’s providers as their core network.
Integrated Health Network, an accountable care organization (ACO), isWisconsin’s first and only clinically integrated multi-system health care provider network and one of the first in the United States. IHN’s current network members are Agnesian HealthCare, Columbia St. Mary’s, Froedtert Health, Ministry Health Care, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and many independent physician partners.
“We’re excited to partner with Integrated Health Network to improve the health and well-being of the people we serve,” said Sherry Husa, president and CEO ofMHS Health. “Our partnership with IHN ensures that our plans offer the largest, best-in-market selection of providers and resources in the areas covered by our products, including eastern Wisconsin’s only academic medical center, Level I Trauma Center and a regional burn center. We also offer rewards for healthy behaviors, and some of our plans include vision and dental benefits.”
“We are pleased that MHS Health recognizes the value of the IHN network,” saidPeter Pruessing, CEO of Integrated Health Network. “We look forward to participating in the launch of their new product.”
An ACO is a group of healthcare providers—including primary care physicians, specialists, and hospitals—that work together collaboratively and accept collective accountability for the cost and quality of care delivered to a population of patients. The goal of coordinated care is to ensure that patients – especially those with chronic illnesses – get the right care at the right time, while avoiding duplication of services and preventing medical errors, since health care information is shared across all the providers who participate in the ACO.
The Health Insurance Marketplace offers consumers a place to compare and purchase a health plan. Consumers can purchase a plan during the open enrollment period from Nov. 15, 2014, to Feb. 15, 2015, with coverage beginningJan. 1, 2015. Ambetter health plans also can be purchased on the plan’s website at www.ambetterhealth.com.
