Guardian Life Insurance and ONE Health Plan Announce Strategic Marketing Agreement

Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America and ONE Health Plan of California, a subsidiary of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Co., have entered into a strategic marketing agreement that will give ONE access to Guardian's vast network of 3,000 company agents and 50,000 independent brokers across the country. This partnership will enable ONE to rapidly grow its membership in California, where it already has a presence in conjunction with Great-West's employee benefits business. The agreement aligns with Guardian's strategic plan to offer more managed care choices to its customers and provides California employers with a comprehensive range of health care options, including a traditional indemnity plan, a preferred provider organization, and ONE's HMO products.

Key Takeaways:

• The agreement between Guardian Life Insurance and ONE Health Plan gives ONE access to Guardian's massive distribution network, comprising 3,000 company agents and 50,000 independent brokers nationally.
• ONE Health Plan will be Guardian's sole HMO offering for its existing California group customers and prospective new business, allowing the company to rapidly grow its membership in the state.
• The partnership enables Guardian to expand its managed care offerings, supporting its strategic plan to provide customers with a broader range of insurance choices.
• California employers will benefit from a comprehensive range of health care options, including a traditional indemnity plan, a preferred provider organization, and ONE's HMO products.
• The agreement is subject to regulatory approval of ONE's pending license application and the execution of definitive agreements between ONE Health and Guardian.
• The marketing arrangement will be used to facilitate the growth of ONE's HMO offerings in California, as well as in other states, including Illinois, Texas, Colorado, and Georgia.

Statistics:

• Guardian Life Insurance has total premiums of $3.1 billion in 1994, ranking it as one of the top 10 commercial providers of group insurance.
• Guardian's group insurance products, including medical, dental, life, and long-term disability, cover about 110,000 organizations, with an estimated 2.5 million employees and dependents.
• Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Co. has more than 1.6 million managed care members nationwide, making it one of the top 10 group health insurers.

Sources:

• Business Wire, Nov. 15, 1995
• Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America
• ONE Health Plan of California