Oscar and MercyOne collaborate to provide affordable care

Two insurance giants have joined forces to offer a range of affordable plans to residents in 23 countries.

Oscar, a health insurance tech pioneer, will compliment MercyOne's network of healthcare facilities and services by providing “seamlessly connected health insurance” through the ACA marketplace in Sioux City, Waterloo, Dubuque and Des Moines. 

Members will have access to premium care by MercyOne providers and will also benefit from savings via Oscar’s Care Teams, Virtual Urgent Care providers and digital tools. Plans will be available following regulatory approval in 2021.

The need for affordable health insurance has escalated drastically with the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 10% of Iowans were already without cover, and a further 38,000 have lost their healthcare insurance, along with their employment since March 2020. 

MercyOne’s plans cover all essential speciality areas of healthcare, with no referrals required. Patients will be able to access MercyOne Iowa Heart, MercyOne clinics and numerous MercyOne Population Health Services Organization Partnered Providers.

CEO and Co-founder of Oscar, Mario Schlosser, described the union as ground-breaking for the Iowa communities. She said, “We look forward to a lasting relationship with MercyOne and our shared commitment to bringing personalized care to 2021 Oscar members in Iowa.”

The primary aim of the collaboration is to assist people by giving them access to high-quality healthcare and providing them with the opportunity to make savings, said Schlosser, adding, “Oscar’s mission is to deliver a better experience with more savings, and we’re proud to be partnering with MercyOne to give more Iowa residents affordable access to their network of high-quality providers.”

President and CEO of MercyOne, Bob Ritz, explained: “As part of our commitment to improve the access and availability of healthcare services to Iowans and to adopt more contemporary approaches to achieve our goal of providing personalized and radically convenient care to Iowans, we are pleased to be part of this innovative partnership with Oscar to provide even more local health insurance options.”

He added that the suffering caused by the pandemic following massive job losses in Iowa made the collaboration even more essential, saying, “As evidenced in this pandemic, a focus on health and wellness is critical. We believe all should have access to affordable care as part of our commitment to the well-being of people.”