*** Welcome to piglix ***

Group Health Incorporated


EmblemHealth is one of the United States' largest nonprofit health plans. It is headquartered at 55 Water Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is a $10 billion company with 3.1 million members.

EmblemHealth was created in 2006 through the merger of Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and the Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (HIP). GHI and HIP had been operating as separate companies in the New York region since 1937 and 1947, respectively.

GHI – originally named Group Health Association of New York – was established in 1937 to provide New York’s working families with access to medical services regardless of cost. This new health care model – built around a network of participating providers – was a precursor to today’s preferred provider organization (PPO).

In order to expand its presence in the upstate New York market, GHI established GHI HMO as an incorporated entity in New York State in May 1999. The following month, GHI HMO acquired certain assets of Well Care Management Group, Inc.

In August 2005, GHI Select HMO acquired the assets, including the membership, of ABC Health Plans, which provides managed care services to Medicaid, Family Health Plus and Child Health Plus enrollees in Manhattan and The Bronx, New York.

In 1943, New York City mayor Fiorello LaGuardia convened a panel to explore the feasibility of offering pre-paid medical services to New Yorkers of “moderate means.” That panel led to the incorporation of HIP in 1944 as the first health insurance plan for public service workers, utilizing various medical centers throughout the city. More than 2,600 members of the Chefs, Cooks, Pastry Cooks and Assistants Local 89 became the first subscribers to HIP in 1947.

In 1997, HIP began offering its members medical services through a physician provider network, in addition to its medical centers.

On November 30, 2001, HIP acquired Vytra Health Plans Long Island along with certain related entities. Due to their steadily worsening financial condition, the decision was made to merge these entities into HIP, effective March 29, 2006.

In 2004, HIP moved 2,000 of its employees to 55 Water Street, the largest corporate relocation to Lower Manhattan since the September 11 attacks.

In an effort to expand its service area, HIP acquired ConnectiCare Holding Company, Inc., a Connecticut corporation (“ConnectiCare Holding”) and its subsidiaries, on March 10, 2005. ConnectiCare was later established as an independent HMO is 1982. ConnectiCare serves approximately 240,000 members in a service area that includes the entire State of Connecticut; Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and parts of Worcester counties in Massachusetts; and Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange Counties in New York. ConnectiCare’s members have access to a provider network of approximately 19,900 health care providers.


...
Wikipedia

...