Company Info & History

Network Health Plan among top 6 percent of health plans nationwide!

Network Health Plan Company Information

Network Health Plan (NHP) has been providing quality health care services for more than 20 years. Today, we serve over 72,000 members. As a member of Affinity Health System, NHP provides comprehensive health care coverage through partnerships with medical facilities, physicians, pharmacies and other health care providers. With approximately 1,600 local and area health care providers, we have built a strong reputation of providing quality health care and excellent service.

NHP’s commitment to high-quality services has been affirmed by receiving the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Excellent accreditation for our Commercial HMO product line. This ranking has been earned through our dedication to continuous quality improvement, and going beyond just providing health care coverage. You will find that NHP places a high emphasis in providing health, wellness and prevention education for our members and community.

Network Health Plan Company History

Network Health Plan was incorporated as a group Health Maintenance Organization in November 1982 by the physicians of Nicolet Clinic and was known at that time as Nicolet Health Plan, reflecting the plan’s origins. Nicolet Health Plan became operational April 1, 1983, with Nicolet Clinic being the plan’s first employer group. With steady growth and acceptance in the area, Nicolet Health Plan soon began to branch out, increasing its provider base.

  • In October 1985, Medical Arts Clinic, S.C., with its five clinic locations joined the plan. To help recognize its growth and development, the plan changed its name to Network Health Plan in May 1986. In June 1986, the physicians of the Medical Associates of New London and Hortonville became affiliated plan providers. Independent physicians also joined the plan under special affiliate agreements.
  • In January 1989, Nicolet Clinics and Medical Arts Clinics merged to form La Salle Clinic. Early in 1990, Medical Associates of New London and Hortonville joined La Salle Clinic.
  • In 1990, La Salle Clinic and Network Health Plan’s Board of Directors voted to develop a local management team for Network Health Plan. Previously, Network Health Plan had been managed through an agreement with American MedCenter/PARTNERS National Health Plan/Aetna. The desire to provide local management and administrative services and be a cost conscious health plan were driving forces behind this decision. In September 1991, the new management team became entirely operational. Network Health Plan now has member services, MIS, claims processing, network development, marketing and health services departments working on-site.
  • March 1994 brought additional changes in ownership to Network Health Plan as St. Elizabeth Hospital/Wheaton Foundation and La Salle Clinic formed a regional health care system called Network Health System. This newly formed alliance was designed to integrate the financing and delivery of health care by coordinating both physician providers and hospital providers with a jointly owned health insurer -- Network Health Plan of Wisconsin.
  • The HMO license was expanded in October 1995, thus allowing Network Health Plan to offer indemnity products. This included POS, PPO, TPA and a variety of ancillary products.
  • Network Health System merged with Affinity Health System on August 31, 1998. The formation of this regional health care organization focuses on community-based care, including outpatient, inpatient, ancillary, long-term care and insurance services offered to patients throughout east central and northeast Wisconsin.