 Today, an ounce of prevention is worth a thousand pounds of cure. John C. (Jack) Fisher |
a healthy partnershipAs news stories go, it was hardly a “stop the presses” moment. The announcement that Ohio Farm Bureau had just awarded its member health insurance business to Medical Mutual of Ohio garnered a few inches on the business page of a couple of newspapers. But if you are a member of Ohio Farm Bureau, this is a story worthy of blockbuster headlines. On the surface, it looks like a simple business deal: We needed a new health insurance provider and they wanted some new customers. In reality, this new alliance is about making a positive difference in the lives of our members. People are worried about the availability and affordability of health care. Public opinion polls compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation tell us people consider health care costs to be a bigger economic concern than jobs, the federal deficit or the costs of housing and education. People rate rising medical and drug costs more troublesome than the rising cost of energy. The good news is that these worries are spurring people to action. An astounding 81 percent of another poll’s respondents say the cost of health care has motivated them to take better care of themselves. And that’s where Medical Mutual and Farm Bureau are positioned to help. Our shared vision is to help more people stay healthy. Today, an ounce of prevention is worth a thousand pounds of cure. If we’re healthier, we spend far less on doctor visits and hospital stays. One exciting part of our new relationship with Medical Mutual includes a financial incentive for policyholders to take a simple health assessment. Through it you’ll learn about your risks and how to manage them, and in return you’ll save some money when you use your insurance. While it would be great if we all stayed healthy enough to avoid medical care, that’s simply not going to be the case. So when you need to use your insurance, you’ll find that Medical Mutual offers the largest selection of medical professionals in Ohio and that their policy options will let you choose from among a variety of effective, affordable plans. I should note that we owe our thanks to our good friends at Nationwide Health Plans. As they transition away from providing individual health plans, they have been instrumental in helping Farm Bureau complete the rigorous process of identifying the right company to take their place. With Medical Mutual, I am confident we’ve found that right company. Medical Mutual, like Farm Bureau, is Ohio bred and born. They are the state’s oldest and largest health insurance company. And importantly, they, like Nationwide, are a mutual company. That means they are owned by their policyholders, and so their performance is measured by how well they serve their clients, not by some Wall Street analyst. I think if you were to read Medical Mutual’s mission statement, you’d find many similarities with our own. Like Farm Bureau, they are about corporate and social responsibility and they are driven by member service. If you’d like to know more about this new relationship, please see this story. It’s the first chapter of what I believe will become a classic tale; the story of how two like-minded organizations came together to benefit each other, and most importantly, make life a little bit better for their members. John C. (Jack) Fisher, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation executive vice president To comment on this article, contact info@ourohio.org
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Orchid Mania :
February 27, 2010 - March 28, 2010
Location: Cleveland Botanical Garden
Women's History Month at the Ohio Statehouse :
March 01, 2010 - March 31, 2010
Location: Ohio Statehouse
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March 06, 2010 - March 13, 2010
Location: South River Vineyard
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