HealthPartners: the largest healthcare cooperative in the USA

HealthPartners: Innovation in Healthcare Cooperativism

Founded in 1957, HealthPartners emerged at a time when the North American health system was undergoing an evolution process, offering an option that was different to the traditional insurance model. Unlike the commercial insurance companies, health cooperatives, such as HealthPartners belong to their members, who have a say in the administration and in the decision-making process.

In a system like the North American one, where the costs of medical care can be exorbitant, health cooperatives seek to offer a more affordable, fairer, patient-orientated care. 

HealthPartners, and other healthcare cooperatives in the United States, were created to mitigate the fragmented nature of the North American health system, where the coordination between suppliers and insurance companies can be deficient.

HealthPartners: from its creation to today

The roots of HealthPartners dates back to 1937, when a group of workers in Minnesota joined together to face up to high hospitalisation costs. Four visionaries – a credit cooperative manager, a post office worker, a cooperative manager and a lawyer with a social conscience, came up with a prepayment health plan, although this was illegal at that time.

For 20 years they fought to change the legislation, finally managing to officially create the cooperative in 1957. In 1992, HealthPartners was born from the merger of GroupHealth and MedCentersHealth Plan. Since then, important organisations such as Park NicolletHealthSystem, Regions Hospital, Lakeview Health and Hudson Hospital & Clinic have joined them. Currently, it operates in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Additionally, HealthPartners also has HealthPartnersPlans, a non-profit making organisation that cares for over 291,000 members with plans from Medicaid, Medicare and the Children´s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), giving extra benefits to improve the health and well-being of its members.

The North American health system and cooperatives

Health cooperatives in the United States offer an option for those who are looking of an alternative to the conventional medical insurance models. Healthcare cooperatives can offer a more affordable, personalised model.

In this case, cooperatives are a clear response to the deficiencies of the North American health system, marked by the high costs and access inequalities. They also have an approach that is more focused on preventive care, compared to the traditional insurance companies and clinics.

They are also a mainstay for the central government. Health cooperatives can complement government programmes such as Medicare and Medicaid, offering specialised plans for those who receive this aid, along with those who lack some kind of medical cover.

HealthPartners and other healthcare cooperatives continue to play a key role in the evolution of the North American health system, showing that a model based on patient cooperation and well-being can be a feasible and sustainable alternative.