The debate over health-care reform may turn to a proposal that includes using non-profit cooperatives with Wisconsin co-ops as a model for nation-wide implementation.
President Obama's administration said last week it may accept a plan that includes using member-run health-care cooperatives.
Wisconsin already has a number of independently run co-ops. Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, marketed exclusively in Dane County, currently insures 62,044 members.
""We have kind of flown under the radar as a cooperative for 35 years,"" said Al Wearing, marketing director for Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin.
Wearing said the cooperative system is not perfect, and some government action would still be necessary to make sure all applicants are accepted. He said accumulation of capital and membership would also be a ""significant venture.""
""I think the issue for President Obama is, if he tries to expand this, how do you start up cooperatives like GHC all over the country?""
John Mullahy, UW-Madison professor of population health services, described the health-care issue in Wisconsin as a ""triangle of quality, access and cost."" He said Wisconsin excels in insurance coverage but has room to improve in terms of quality and cost.
According to Mike Tate, state chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, a significant percent of Wisconsin residents have health-care coverage.
""We are a national model, we rank second in the nation in terms of health-care access.""
Whether public or non-profit, some advocates of the co-op model agree health insurance cannot continue to be provided by private firms.
""I also believe that the politicians are willing to consider it as an alternative to the public plan only because it is non-profit and it's not owned by ‘big corporations',"" Wearing said.
