The Medical Practice Consortium (MPC), formed in 2018 as the successor to the ISMA-sponsored group health insurance plan, started offering employer group health coverage to medical practices on July 1, 2019. The MPC began its first full plan year on Jan. 1, 2020 and has made some improvements to increase transparency for greater cost savings.

The MPC’s four-member Board of Trustees comprises President Francis Price, Jr., MD, from Price Vision Group; Vice President Mark Floyd, MD, from Bloomington Anesthesiologists; Treasurer Steve Freeland, from Cancer Care Group; and Secretary Erin Parish, from Associated Vitreoretinal and Uveitis. The Board chose the Indiana State Medical Association Insurance Agency (ISMAIA) as the MPC’s arrangement manager, allowing ISMA staff to continue supporting and providing service to member participants.

In early 2019, the MPC Board reached out to all the medical practices that participated in the former ISMA-sponsored group health insurance plan and encouraged them to join the MPC. More than 80% of those employers, representing more than 90% of subscribers, decided to join the MPC and started receiving coverage on July 1, 2019. Interest has also been strong among medical practices that were not historically a part of the ISMA-sponsored plan, with several new practices joining recently.

For 2020, the MPC Board has implemented several improvements that will allow for greater transparency. The plan moved to a partially self-funded structure on Jan. 1, allowing the MPC greater access to plan data and making it possible to work with multiple partners for various plan components. (Stop-loss coverages will still minimize risks for the plan.)

To address rising pharmacy costs, the board decided to use EpiphanyRx rather than Anthem’s own IngenioRx to manage prescription benefits starting Jan. 1. Expected benefits include significant cost savings, along with personalized service and full transparency into discounts and rebates. Greater access to plan data will allow for future population health initiatives, to improve health risks and expenses.

The MPC Board also announced that a one-month premium holiday will be granted in late 2020 to participating employers that commit to staying in the MPC through 2021. With this premium holiday, net annual premiums decreased for most practices. The highest net annual increases were in the low single digits, far better than the market.

Like what you hear? Indiana medical practices with physicians who are ISMA members are eligible for employer group health coverage (two or more participants) through the MPC. For more information and to obtain a quote, visit Indianampc.org or contact Insurance Account Manager John Enderle at 317-454-7732 or jenderle@ismanet.org.