Group Health Cooperative
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Based in Seattle, WA, Group Health Cooperative is a consumer-governed, nonprofit healthcare system that specializes in coordinating care and coverage. Through their subsidiary health carriers, Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, Group Health serves more than half a million residents in Washington state and Idaho.
Group Health health insurance was started in 1947 as a community coalition committed to making high-quality healthcare available and affordable to its members. Currently, Group Health is one of a select few healthcare organizations in the country that remains governed by its consumers. They maintain an 11-member board of trustees, elected by members, that works intimately with the company's management and medical staff to ensure that the organization's mission, direction and policies align to put the needs of the patient at the forefront. The company offers coordinated-care plans for groups as well as individuals. Group Health utilizes a network of nearly 9,000 community clinicians and 41 hospitals to meet the healthcare needs of its members.
Branches of Group Health health insurance include Group Health Options, Inc., KPS Health Plans, Group Health Permanente and the Group Health Research Institute.
Group Health Options, Inc. was incorporated by the company in 1990 and offers a wide array of health plans that are specially designed to provide choices and flexibility to fit the needs of large and small employers alike. Coordinately, KPS Health Plans was acquired by Group Health in 2005 and maintains a separate corporate identity under the banner of Group Health.
Group Health Permanente or GHP, was formed by Group Health's doctors as an independent corporation of professionals. As a multidisciplinary medical group, GHP is under exclusive contract to provide medical care in Group Health-operated facilities while working in a partnership with Group Health's management and board of trustees.
The Group Health Research Institute conducts epidemiological health services and clinical research that relates to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of major health issues. The Group Health Research Institute is funded through government and private grants.
Group Health health insurance includes 628,203 members and services all 20 counties in Washington state and two in north Idaho. They maintain consolidated operating revenue of $2.8 billion. Group Health's staff, which totals 9,390 employees, includes 1,724 nurses, 969 physicians and 82 specialties and sub-specialties.
In May of 2010, the Group Health Cooperative Plain Language Network was awarded the ClearMark award and another honorable mention for its work in the simplification of language on patient materials. The award was given for Group Health's "Informed Consent for Surgery" form. The form was reduced from a reading level of grade 15 to a 6th grade reading level.
