Group Health Cooperative (GHC) Health Insurance

Group Health

Group Health* is a nonprofit health care system that provides both medical coverage and care. Group Health and its subsidiary health carriers, Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, serve approximately 584,288 members in Washington and Idaho. More than 70 percent of members receive care in Group Health-owned medical facilities.

Group Health includes Group Health Cooperative (1947); its research arm, the Group Health Center for Health Studies (1983); Group Health Options, Inc. (1990); KPS Health Plans (2005); Group Health Permanente medical group (1997); and Group Health Community Foundation (1983). These organizations - and the staff members who support them - share a common purpose to transform health care, working together to improve the care and well-being of members, patients, and communities.

Group Health Cooperative was opened in 1947 by a community coalition dedicated to making quality health care available and affordable. Today it is one of the few health care organizations in the country governed by consumers rather than internal executives. Its 11-member board of trustees - all Cooperative members elected by other members - work closely with management and medical staff to ensure that the organization's policies and direction put the needs of patients first.

Group Health Cooperative, together with its subsidiary Group Health Options, Inc., operates in all or parts of 20 counties in Washington and two counties in North Idaho. In Washington, Group Health Cooperative offers coordinated-care plans for both groups and individuals, a Medicare plan, and a plan for residents who qualify for Healthy Options (Medicaid), Basic Health, and the State Children's Health Insurance Plan.

Care is provided by Group Health Permanente doctors and other clinicians at Group Health-operated medical facilities. In service areas where Group Health doesn't own facilities and for plans offering more choice, a network of more than 9,000 community clinicians and 39 hospitals meets member health care needs.

Group Health Options was incorporated in 1990 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Group Health Cooperative. It offers a variety of health plans in Washington and Idaho that provide choice and flexibility to meet the needs of large and small employers and starting July 1, 2008, this choice and flexibility will be available to individuals through the Individual & Family plans. These range from a defined physician-network plan to point-of-service plans in which members can get care from outside the network for higher out-of-pocket costs.

Group Health's Facts at a Glance

Group Health Health Plans in Washington

Group Health's Awards and Recognitions

Group Health's Affiliates

*Group Health refers to Group Health Cooperative or Group Health Options, Inc.