Health plan organizations will bring complementary strengths, visions and commitments to members and communities.

Medica and SSM Health –both leading Midwest non-profit health organizations – announced today they will form a strategic relationship to bring their complementary strengths together to drive innovative value-driven health care solutions for members across the communities they serve.

Medica will invest in Dean Health Plan of Madison, Wisconsin, a subsidiary of SSM Health. Working together, the two health plans will focus on key areas like operations, technology and value-based care enablement to improve the member/patient experience.

“This important relationship is driven by our mutual commitment to add value in the health care experience through improved health outcomes and lower costs for our members,” said Medica President and CEO John Naylor. “We believe together we can develop and deliver innovative solutions that best support people’s health care needs in the communities we serve.”

Randy Combs, Chief Financial Officer of SSM Health, said, “SSM Health and Dean Health Plan possess decades of experience and a deep passion for value-based care delivery, centered on the needs of the patient and driven by provider/plan integration. We look forward to working with Medica to help more people gain access to the high-quality affordable care they need and deserve.”

“This relationship, with its deep local focus, is an opportunity to further enhance the tools available to members, employers, brokers and others and improve the overall health care experience for everyone we serve,” added Dean Health Plan President Les McPhearson.

The two companies will maintain their respective health plan brands and products which include those under the Medica name along with Dean Health Plan, Prevea360 and WellFirst Health. Members, employers, brokers, and providers can look forward to enhanced service and products and no near-term changes. The agreement is expected to be finalized sometime during the 4^th quarter of the year, pending necessary regulatory approvals.

About Dean Health Plan

Dean Health Plan is a full-service health insurance company founded in Madison, Wisconsin, serving almost 500,000 members in Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois and Oklahoma. Established in 1983, Dean Health Plan is part of SSM Health, a St. Louis-based integrated health system. This relationship ensures the major components of health care delivery – physician, hospital and insurance – are working together to drive unnecessary costs out of the health care system while improving quality of care.

About Medica

Medica is a non-profit health plan headquartered in Minnesota. The company serves communities in the heart of America by providing health care coverage and related services in the employer, individual, Medicaid and Medicare markets. It operates in Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Medica's vision is to be trusted in the community for its unwavering commitment to high quality, affordable health care. Medica's annual report, which includes the organization's community involvement activities, is available online.

About SSM Health

SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across the Midwest through a robust and fully integrated health care delivery system. The organization’s nearly 40,000 employees and 11,000 providers are committed to providing exceptional health care services and revealing God’s healing presence to everyone they serve. With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health includes 23 hospitals, more than 290 physician offices and other outpatient and virtual care services, 10 post-acute facilities, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company, and an accountable care organization. It is one of the largest employers in every community it serves.

For more information visit:

www.mediaaccess.info/health-plan-relationship/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005511/en/