CareSource, Common Ground affiliate 

Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative joined CareSource, a Dayton, Ohio-based health plan, on Jan. 1, following approvals by federal and state regulators.

Common Ground offers individual health insurance through Healthcare.gov.

“With CareSource by our side, we can enhance our services and raise the bar with improved technologies and insightful solutions to better serve this population for years to come,” said Cathy Mahaffey, who has led the insurer since 2014.

CareSource offers Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Affordable Care Act coverage.

Before the affiliation, Common Ground repaid a federal loan that helped launch it. The health plan participated in the ACA’s Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan Program, which provided support to establish 23 nonprofit health plans to boost competition in the individual market. The insurer was one of three still in business when it exited the program to join CareSource.

Mahaffey will continue to lead Common Ground as CEO. She’ll also serve as CareSource market president for Wisconsin.

Community Care, one of the managed care organizations serving some of the state’s Medicaid long-term care programs, is also seeking an affiliation with CareSource.

This article first appeared in the Wisconsin Health News daily email newsletter. Sign up for your free trial here.