May 21, 2014

Manchin Pleased Kentucky Health Co-Op Will Join WV Health Exchange

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today issued the following statement on the approval of the Kentucky Health Cooperative’s application to join the West Virginia federal health insurance exchange as the second insurer alongside Highmark West Virginia. 

“It is great news that the Kentucky Health Cooperative will join West Virginia’s federal health insurance exchange in time for the 2015 open enrollment period. The addition of the Kentucky-based co-op will spur competition in our marketplace and increase consumer choice for families and small businesses, hopefully leading to lower costs for everyone. I applaud the Governor Tomblin’s Administration for approving this application in record time, and I look forward to working with the Kentucky Health Cooperative and Highmark West Virginia to ensure every West Virginian has access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.”

“We’ve been thrilled with our success in providing high-quality health care access to your neighbors in Kentucky and we look forward to doing the same for West Virginian individuals, families and small group employers and their employees for years to come,” said CEO of the Kentucky Health Cooperative, Janie Miller.”

Health insurance cooperatives, unlike private health insurance companies, are owned by the people they insure. These non-profit healthcare co-ops are not government-run, and are designed to provide an alternative to state-provided and employer-insurance coverage.

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