When it comes to health care, the importance of living, playing and working among the people who need your services is valuable.
Since 1983, when Physicians Health Plan was founded by a group of local physicians, PHP has been helping northern Indiana employers take care of their employees and their families. This model continues today with local physicians and business leaders still serving as directors of the organization, providing input on medical policies and strategic direction.
“The founders were looking to create something better for the community,” says PHP Chief Sales Officer Matt Roskuski. “We’ve grown from their commitment to the community, and it drives all that we do.”
“It’s important to us that those we serve have quick and direct access to the entire PHP team, up to and including Gary Shearer, our CEO. This level of attention allows us to truly partner with our clients and attack their unique challenges together,” he adds.
Those challenges can include finding the right coverage type for a company’s specific needs, ranging from traditional employee health insurance plans to custom services focused on companies that want to self-insure. And their health care network includes not only the largest regional providers (Parkview, Lutheran and IU Health) but also extends to doctors, hospitals, facilities and pharmacies across the country.
“Because we are a local company, we have extremely strong relationships with the hospital systems in northeast Indiana. We partner with health care providers that deliver a balance of quality, affordability and choice, and strive to keep premiums low through effective relationship management,” Roskuski adds.
Health care is complicated, and PHP helps business owners navigate the complexities in a way that allows them to focus on their business.
“COVID has raised so many questions for employers and we give them the guidance that they need to manage this unprecedented landscape. We provide the expertise that helps them best take care of their employees while also protecting their bottom-line,” he says.
Ava Lillmars, PHP senior account executive, points out that another advantage of being a local company is the opportunity to give back to the community in a variety of ways.
Under its charter, PHP is committed to returning the first $500,000 of net income plus 15 percent of its operating income back to the community as charitable contributions. This is accomplished through the PHP Foundation. This commitment resulted in $700,000 of grants last spring with more than $10 million over the last 15 years invested back to nonprofits caring for the people of northern Indiana.
PHP Foundation grants have supported organizations such as Matthew 25 Health and Dental Clinic, Neighborhood Health Clinics, and Super Shot in Fort Wayne; Maple City Health Care Center and Heart City Health in Elkhart County; and LOGAN Community Resources and RiverBend Cancer Services in South Bend. PHP also supports team members’ efforts to volunteer with a variety of organizations, through program support and board service.
