Canopy Expansion Press Release

Published: July 10, 2018

South Bay Area Employees Have a New Choice for Health Coverage

Western Health Advantage is pleased to announce that its expansion into Santa Clara County and the rest of San Mateo County will be effective on September 1 for large groups and October 1 for small groups. The provider network for this expansion is Canopy Health. The partnership between WHA and Canopy Health, which is owned by physicians and hospitals, gives members access to a network of quality providers, world-renowned specialists and coordinated health care.

“This expansion is an exciting opportunity for WHA because it expands our access to businesses in the Bay Area,” said Garry Maisel, president and CEO of Western Health Advantage. “Canopy Health’s providers and hospitals are part of an accessible and transparent network in the Bay Area. With WHA’s partnership, this is an attractive new option for those choosing a health plan because it connects them with quality health care in the communities where they live and work.”

The expansion has been officially approved by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC). Through WHA’s partnership with Canopy Health, two medical groups – nearly 1,000 new physicians – and three hospitals will be added to WHA’s network:

  • Dignity Health Medical Network – Sequoia
    • Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital
  • Santa Clara County Individual Practice Association (SCCIPA)
    • Good Samaritan Hospital, San Jose
    • Regional Medical Center of San Jose

“We are extremely excited about Canopy Health’s recent growth,” said Joel Criste, Canopy Health CEO. “Receiving approval from the DMHC for this latest expansion extends our reach throughout the Bay Area and allows us to provide more members with even better care from some of the most respected medical groups and hospitals in the state of California. More choice means more competition, which results in improved care systems and better patient outcomes overall.”

To better assist employers and brokers in the Bay Area, WHA will relocate its Novato sales office to Walnut Creek in August. The new address will be 1550 Parkside Drive, Suite 105, Walnut Creek, CA 94596. Phone numbers will remain the same.

Employers interested in learning more about health coverage from Western Health Advantage and Canopy Health should contact their insurance broker or visit choosewha.com/network.

About Canopy Health
Canopy Health is a physician- and hospital-owned medical alliance that focuses on delivering a refreshing approach to healthcare and providing transparent, affordable care from exceptional physicians. Incorporated in March 2015 as an affiliation between UCSF Health and John Muir Health, Canopy Health aims to provide a top-quality continuum of care across the San Francisco Bay Area through partnerships with primary care providers, community hospitals, top-tier academic medical facilities, and medical groups. In addition to its founding members, Canopy Health currently includes five physician groups — Hill Physicians Medical Group, Muir Medical Group IPA, Meritage Medical Network, Santa Clara County IPA and Dignity Health Medical Network-Sequoia. Canopy Health also includes 18 participating medical centers across eight Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.

About Western Health Advantage
Founded by doctors and other health care providers in Sacramento in 1996, Western Health Advantage is a non-profit HMO health plan with a community-based mission and is a market leader in quality and affordability. WHA offers HMO benefit plans for employer group health coverage. WHA’s extensive network includes 14 counties (Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo) and consists of more than 6,400 doctors in eight medical groups and 25 hospitals and major medical centers. WHA serves more than 135,000 members, with annual premium revenue exceeding $750 million. Customer service, affordability and access to quality care are WHA’s guiding principles. WHA is a quality choice for local business owners seeking affordable, responsive health coverage for their employees. For more information, visit westernhealth.com.