History

Proud of our past. Prepared for the future.

YearMilestone
1956Organized labor’s concerns regarding the need for higher quality standards of medical care and affordable health insurance led UAW President Walter Reuther to open Metropolitan Hospital in Detroit with a group medical practice of physicians who worked on salary. Facing discrimination from other area hospitals, minority medical staff were welcomed at Metropolitan Hospital to reflect the community served.
1960UAW sponsored the Community Health Association (now HAP) – a prepayment (monthly premium) medical plan to give Metropolitan Hospital patients and autoworkers access to health insurance through comprehensive HMO coverage that emphasized preventive care.
1960Dr. Frederick Mott named Executive Director, CHA.
1961Dr. James A. Halsted became head of the Department of Medicine at Metropolitan Hospital. His wife, Anna Roosevelt (FDR’s daughter), became the public relations director of Metropolitan Hospital and the Community Health Association health plan. The couple owned three acres of property in the Birmingham-Bloomfield area on Halsted Road, which was named after Dr. Halsted.
1967Enrollment in CHA reached 77,000 after initial 1961 enrollment of 4,000.
1972Blue Cross Blue Shield acquired Community Health Association, renamed it Metro Health Plan, Inc., or MHP, and contracted with Henry Ford Hospital.
1973Jim Walworth named President & CEO of MHP.
1978Ford Motor Company commissioned Kaiser Permanente Advisory Services to study the feasibility of a separate health plan formed by an alliance between auto manufacturers, the UAW and MHP.
1979As a result of the Kaiser study, MHP separated from BCBS. MHP, Henry Ford Hospital, organized labor and Detroit automakers announced a new alliance: Health Alliance Plan, or HAP.
1982HAP membership reached 100,000.
1984Metro Hospital & Health Centers becomes Metro Medical Group, a HAP division; William Alvin is MHHC’s Administrative Director; Jim Walworth is president of HAP.
1986HAP became a subsidiary of Henry Ford Health System.
1986HAP became the first health plan in southeast Michigan to offer a new HMO alternative to Medicare – HAP Senior Plus®.
1986HAP became the seventh largest HMO in the U.S., with acquisitions of Independence Health Plan and Medical Value Plan.
1991HAP became one of the first 21 health plans in the U.S. to help establish national quality standards and measure and publicly report quality of care via the National Committee for Quality Assurance HEDIS® Report Card project.
1993HAP earned National Committee for Quality Assurance, or NCQA, Full Accreditation.
1995HAP membership reached 500,000.
1995HAP entered the world of computerized claims submissions with the launch of Electronic Data Interchange – also known as EDI.
1996HAP launched Alliance Health & Life Insurance Company, PPO and POS.
1998Cleve Killingsworth named President & CEO.
2001HAP acquired SelectCare HMO and POS, added St. John, Oakwood and Beaumont to system.
2004Francine Parker named President & CEO.
2005HAP and Henry Ford Medical Group first in Michigan to launch ePrescribing with UAW and automakers.
2008HAP expanded from 9 to 23 counties; regional office in Flint opened.
2008Members rated HAP “Highest in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in Michigan,” according to the J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Member Health Insurance Plan Study. HAP went on to win this award for eight consecutive years.
 
2009William Alvin named President & CEO.
2009HAP launched Small Business Solutions for companies with two to 50 employees in 23 counties.
2011HAP launched educational website to help people cut through the clutter of the health care reform law.
2014James Connelly named President & CEO.
2014Midwest Health Plan, acquired by HAP in 2011, changed name to HAP Midwest Health Plan.
2016HAP and HealthPlus of Michigan merged operations, creating one of the largest health insurers in Michigan.
2016Terri Kline named President & CEO.
2020Dr. Michael Genord named President & CEO 
2021HAP and MSU Healthcare joined forces to offer Medicare insurance products.
2021HAP ranks highest in Michigan in the J.D. Power 2021 Member Satisfaction Study.
2021Hurley Foundation announces community partnership with HAP.
2021MAHP Foundation celebrates health plan innovation in the 20th Pinnacle Awards.
2022HAP names Merrill Hausenfluck chief financial officer.
2022Henry Ford Health System launched new branding as Henry Ford Health.
2022HAP’s Medicare Advantage HMO earns a 4.5-star rating; PPO earns a 4-star rating.
2022Health Alliance Plan donates another $75,000 to Detroit Public Schools Community District.
2023HAP ranked No. 1 in Michigan for commercial health plan member satisfaction by J.D. Power.
2023HAP and CareSource secure regulatory approval for Medicaid joint venture in Michigan, forming HAP CareSource.
2024HAP becomes official health insurance carrier for federal postal employees in Michigan.
2024Henry Ford Health and HAP launch first co-branded Medicare product – Henry Ford Health Medicare Advantage powered by HAP.
2024HAP becomes official health insurance carrier for federal postal employees in Michigan.
2024Henry Ford Health and HAP launch first co-branded Medicare product.
2025HAP membership reached 469,000.
2025HAP operational turnaround yields $32.4 million in net income.
2025HAP expands provider network to serve more members in northern and mid-Michigan.
2025Margaret Anderson named president of HAP.
2025HAP and Henry Ford Health partner to create Henry Ford Health Select for commercial groups.
 
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