The COGCare Insurance Cooperative

COGCare is a healthcare insurance cooperative serving the interests of Councils of Governments (COGs) and their members throughout the western half of Pennsylvania. The organization is led by a board of directors that includes leaders from various COGs in the region. COGCare provides programs and services that benefit COGs and their member boroughs, townships, cities, counties and authorities of all sizes.

COGCare was created with the following objectives in mind:

  • To promote healthy competition in the health insurance market
  • To gain collective strength in negotiating rates and benefits for area COGs and their member municipalities and local government employers
  • To reduce insurance rates where possible and make renewal rates manageable and predictable
  • To serve as a catalyst for improving carrier service and performance and thereby enhancing employee satisfaction

Founded by COG Leaders for COG Members

Text Box: COGCare Member COGs § Beaver County Regional COG § Butler County COG § Cross Creek Valley Regional Planning Commission § French Creek COG § Lawrence County Regional COG § North Hills COG § Northwest PA Tri-County COG § Steel Valley COG § Turtle Creek Valley COG § Twin Rivers COG In 2010, Jeff Smith, executive director of the Butler County COG, initiated a dialogue with other COGs and municipal representatives in an effort to collectively identify ways to slow the rising cost of health insurance.

After months of discussion and planning and with additional guidance from COG leaders Larry Googins, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Council of Governments and the Beaver County Regional COG, and Robert Callen, executive director of the Lawrence County Regional COG and Beaver County Regional COG, COGCare was formed.

Following a competitive bidding process, the COGCare Board of Directors determined that one carrier - UPMC Health Plan - met all of COGCare's criteria. Based on this determination, COGCare and UPMC Health Plan formed a partnership that allows COG members to offer high-quality, affordable healthcare to their employees at a preferred price. The program is projected to save COG members millions of dollars in health insurance premiums in the coming years.

Additional lines of insurance will be added to the COGCare offering in the future.

About Council of Governments

Councils of Governments, or COGs, are non-profit organizations representing government entities such as boroughs, townships, cities, counties and authorities. COGs are organized throughout Pennsylvania and their members include virtually every municipality and county government within the counties they are located.

The COGs were initiated as a result of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1972. They act as mutual forums to discuss and bring into focus regional challenges and opportunities, collect and maintain data of regional interest, improve communication, coordination and intergovernmental cooperation among all levels of government, facilitate cooperative agreements, provide technical assistance, managed intergovernmental services and coordinate federal, state and local cooperatives of regional importance.