Menu

Argument: Co-ops are a successful model for health insurance

Issue Report: Health insurance cooperatives

Support

Edmund Haislmaier, et al. “Health care co-operatives: doing it the right way”. Heritage Foundation. June 18, 2009: “The co-op concept is also longstanding and widespread in the insurance sector, where it is known as a “mutual” insurance company. Thus, such large well-known companies as Mutual of Omaha and Northwestern Mutual Life are in fact cooperatives. There are also successful smaller, niche-market mutual insurers, such as Church Mutual (which offers lines of property, casualty, and liability coverage for member religious institutions) and Jeweler’s Mutual (which offers similar coverage lines for members engaged in making or selling jewelry). […] When it comes to health care, a group that “organizes” coverage provided by insurers could be structured as a co-op, and a company that provides insurance could also be structured as a co-op. Both could be present in the same market.”