July 3, 2007

Contact: Sherry Freeman, sfreeman@healthylifestylescoop.org

The Healthy Lifestyles Cooperative of Brown County will host additional informational meetings for employers interested in potentially participating in its second insurance pool for coverage Jan. 1, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2010.

Meetings will be hosted at the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 12; 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday, July 13; 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, July 16; and 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 19.

The Co-op has selected its insurance provider, Destiny Health, to serve this pool of members and is finalizing negotiations on premium rate caps.

Currently, the Cooperative has 135 companies in its 2007-2009 insurance pool, covering 1,400 employees and 2,900 lives. It also contracts with Bellin Occupational Health Solutions to provide all adults with health risk assessments to inform about their health risk status, with follow-on coaching to improve their health.

The Cooperative is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide Northeast Wisconsin employers with a health insurance plan that achieves stable premium rates through cooperative purchasing, personal accountability and healthier lifestyles. It is organized around its board and four member-driven committees to develop and provide services for members: Insurance, Wellness Assessment Providers, Comparative Pricing, and Education/Vitality Promotion. "We effectively operate as the Benefits Planning and Negotiating Department that most of our members are too small to have," said Jeff Ottum, board member and insurance committee member.

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