Info

Unity Health Insurance is a wholly-owned subsidiary of University Health Care, Inc. (UHC). UHC is comprised of University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) and University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation (UWMF). Unity began as a combination of two separate HMO insurers, HMO of Wisconsin Insurance Corporation and U-Care HMO, Inc. HMO of Wisconsin was formed in 1983 as one of the nation's first rural-based HMOs. The major force behind formation of the HMO was the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, an organization of rural hospitals in southwestern Wisconsin that began in 1979 as a regional shared services organization and advocate for rural health care interests. UHC, the parent company of the former U-Care HMO, had its beginnings as an organization that contracted with prepaid managed care plans on behalf of UWHC and UWMF. These entities adopted a new identity as UW Health in 1997. UW Health is a collaboration of separate but closely related organizations which share the common missions of patient care, education and research. For 10 years, between 1994 and 2004, the combined HMOs were operated as a joint venture among UHC, Community Health Systems, LLC (representing the rural hospital interests) and the parent company Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin. The HMO was renamed Unity Health Plans Insurance Corporation in 1995. In 2004, UHC and Community Health Systems decided not to renew the joint venture. UHC bought out the ownership interests of Community Health Systems and, effective January 1, 2005, purchased Unity from its then current owner, WellPoint Inc.