Wisconsin Ag Connection - Farmers' Health Cooperative Holds Town Hall Meetings

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Farmers' Health Cooperative Holds Town Hall Meetings
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 11/10/2008

The Farmers' Health Cooperative of Wisconsin, organized in 2007 to increase the value of health insurance for Wisconsin farmers and agribusinesses, will host town hall style educational meetings for agricultural producers and the businesses that support them. The meetings, sponsored by Badgerland Financial and the Westby Co-op Credit Union, are an opportunity to discuss cooperative health insurance purchasing for agriculture and how it differs from other insurance products.

The meetings will be held at the following times and locations:

** November 19: 10:00 a.m, 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m at Western Technical College, Viroqua

** November 18: 10:00 a.m, 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m at Prairie du Chien Town Hall, Prairie du Chien

** November 20: 10:00 a.m, 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m at Town of Arcadia Town Hall, Arcadia

FHCW has had a string of successes since launching in early 2007. The co-op doubled its membership goals, and a recent study found that 51 percent of members said their health insurance premiums were lower after joining FHCW, while another two-thirds of members said their benefits improved. Other successes include a vastly expanded provider network in Western Wisconsin, enhanced health and wellness services for members and new in 2009: a dental insurance option.

The Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives developed FHCW in collaboration with members of Congress, Wisconsin state lawmakers, USDA, the state Department of Agriculture, the University of Wisconsin and several leading cooperative organizations.