The ISMA Board of Trustees has decided to change the structure of ISMA’s group health insurance plan in response to new federal rules concerning association health plans. 

Beginning sometime in 2019, the Anthem health insurance plan for employers will be offered and governed by a consortium of participating practices called the Medical Practice Consortium, rather than by ISMA.
 
Medical practices now covered through ISMA’s employer insurance plan will receive more information soon and will need to provide new documentation to join the new Medical Practice Consortium. The ISMA individual health insurance plan (including Medicare carve-outs) offered through Anthem will not be affected and will continue to be governed and serviced by ISMA. ISMA’s individual Anthem insurance plan and the Anthem group plans offered by the consortium will continue to be fully insured.

The founding trustees of the consortium met Saturday, Dec. 15, and elected Francis Price, MD, president. Dr. Price, of Price Vision Group in Indianapolis, served on the ISMA Ad Hoc Committee on Insurance for 37 years and is committed to the success of the group health insurance program. Other founding trustees include Mark Floyd, MD, of Bloomington Anesthesiologists; Stephen A. Freeland, MBA, of the Cancer Care Group in Indianapolis; and Erin Parish, of Associated Vitreoretinal and Uveitis Consultants in Carmel.

The U.S. Department of Labor rules, issued on June 19, 2018, came during a two-year review by ISMA aimed at modernizing its health insurance offerings and services. ISMA believes this restructuring will position the plan well to ensure it continues to be a valuable benefit to participating medical practices and their employees.

Although control of the employer plan is changing, ISMA and its longstanding insurance program staff remain eager and willing to help the consortium with day-to-day administration. 

For answers to any questions, please contact ISMA Director of Insurance Tom Martens at (317) 454-7734 or tmartens@ismanet.org.