

Take back control of your school’s health care costs
Rising costs, declining benefits, and new laws have forced many organizations to go to market each year or get creative with their benefit offerings.
The volatile landscape of health care also inspired ISM Insurance Advisers to look for creative solutions. We’ve created an approach to establishing state-specific Health Care Consortiums that is different from how most organizations are building group plans—you don’t have to be associated with ISM or a member of our organization to petition to join. And, each functioning Consortium is unique. These are not out-of-the-box templates designed by the carriers—each Consortium, is designed by a group of a private-independent school administrators.
Group Health Consortium History
ISM’s first Group Health Care Consortium began in October 2007 when Administrators from several private schools around Pennsylvania began meeting with an ISM Insurance Advisor to address the serious issues surrounding health insurance. It was the mission of the group to develop a program designed to take control of their school’s single largest budget item after salaries—health insurance. Less than a year later, on September 1, 2008, The Pennsylvania Independent School Health Insurance Consortium began operating. Since 2007, ISM has worked with groups in several other states—Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida—to create Health Care Consortiums.
Benefits of Group Health Consortiums:
- Control cost and stabilize rates
- Gain access to claims data
- Monthly data for group on utilization
- Direct access to management team and underwriter from carrier
- Access an extensive local and national network of health care providers
- Low annual average increase without plan changes
- HSA and HRA options Dedicated support team for client engagement
Active State Group Health Care Consortiums:
Pennsylvania Independent School Insurance Consortium (PISIC)
Established | 2007 | |||
Members | Nine schools protecting 435 lives | |||
Health Insurance Provider | Aetna | |||
Health Plans | Five plans offered | |||
Dental and Vision | Options available | |||
Petition Deadline | March 1 | |||
Trustees’ Decision Deadline | May 31 | |||
Open Enrollment | July 1 | |||
Renewal Date | September 1 |
Maryland Independent School Consortium (MISC)
Established | 2013 | |||
Members | 15 schools protecting 900 lives | |||
Health Insurance Provider | Aetna | |||
Health Plans | Seven plans offered | |||
Dental and Vision | Options available | |||
Petition Deadline | December 1 | |||
Trustees’ Decision Deadline | March 1 | |||
Open Enrollment | April 1 | |||
Renewal Date | June 1 |
Lone Star Independent School Consortium (LSIC)
Established | 2016 | |||
Members | 10 schools protecting 500 lives | |||
Health Insurance Provider | Aetna | |||
Health Plans | Eight plans offered | |||
Dental and Vision | Options available | |||
Petition Deadline | April 1 | |||
Trustees’ Decision Deadline | June 1 | |||
Open Enrollment | October 1 | |||
Renewal Date | January 1 |
Ohio Health Care Consortium
Established | 2017 | |||
Members | 6 schools protecting 100 lives | |||
Health Insurance Provider | Aetna | |||
Health Plans | Nine plans offered | |||
Dental and Vision | Options available | |||
Petition Deadline | April 1 | |||
Trustees’ Decision Deadline | June 1 | |||
Open Enrollment | October 1 | |||
Renewal Date | January 1 |
Garden State (NJ) Non-Public School Consortium (GSNPSC)
Established | 2017 | |||
Members | 9 schools protecting 652 lives | |||
Health Insurance Provider | Aetna | |||
Health Plans | Eleven plans offered | |||
Dental and Vision | Options available | |||
Petition Deadline | February 1 | |||
Trustees’ Decision Deadline | March 15 | |||
Open Enrollment | May 1 | |||
Renewal Date | July 1 |
Arizona Independent School Consortium (AISC)
Established | 2017 | |||
Members | 6 schools protecting 176 lives | |||
Health Insurance Provider | Aetna | |||
Health Plans | Eleven plans offered | |||
Dental and Vision | Options available | |||
Petition Deadline | June 30 | |||
Trustees’ Decision Deadline | August 15 | |||
Open Enrollment | October 1 | |||
Renewal Date | January 1 |
Petitioning for Membership:
Each state has its own unique petitioning date and process. For more information on how to petition for membership or how to start one in your state, contact ISM’s Health Consortium Coordinator Alicia Clingan.