Cook County Health

What Cook County Health does

Cook County Health is the public safety-net health system for Chicago and suburban Cook County, Illinois, operating as a county government entity under Illinois law. Founded in the 1860s, it runs two anchor hospitals — John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital and Provident Hospital — alongside more than twenty community health centers, correctional health (Cermak Health Services), specialty programs including the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center for HIV/AIDS, the Cook County Department of Public Health, retail and mail-order pharmacies, and a broad outpatient specialty catalog spanning oncology, cardiology, neurology, mental health, OB/GYN, trauma and burn, and robotic-assisted surgery. The MyCookCountyHealth portal and ExpressCare Virtual Immediate Care (weekdays 7am-7pm) constitute its consumer-facing digital surface.

Its core product is integrated healthcare delivery for Medicaid, Medicare, uninsured, and underinsured populations, paired with CountyCare — Cook County's largest Medicaid managed care plan, which serves over 400,000 members across a network of 6,600+ PCPs, 26,000+ specialists, 70+ hospitals, and 150+ urgent care sites and earned a four-star NCQA rating in 2025. A Wellvana ACO partnership adds roughly 190,000 Medicare lives to the value-based care footprint for 2026.

Revenue is generated through Medicaid capitation via CountyCare, Medicare ACO arrangements, fee-for-service and value-based hospital/clinic billing, and pharmacy services; uninsured patients are absorbed through financial assistance and Carelink without disclosed public pricing. The enterprise employs 5,001-10,000 staff and operates under a 2026-2028 Strategic Plan focused on access expansion amid federal Medicaid tightening under H.R. 1, supported by a workforce pipeline partnership with City Colleges of Chicago and community-based mobile clinics via the Link and Option Center.

Name

Cook County Health

Legal name

Cook County Health

Website

https://cookcountyhealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1864

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Cook County Health is a public safety-net health system serving Chicago and suburban Cook County through two hospitals, 20+ community health centers, specialty programs, pharmacies, and the CountyCare Medicaid managed care plan covering 400,000+ members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Healthcare Services

NAICS

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6221), Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), Offices of Physicians (6211)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

Keywords

• Public health services
• Hospital and clinical care
• Medicaid managed care
• Community health centers
• Telehealth immediate care

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Managed Care (CountyCare): CountyCare is Cook County's largest Medicaid health plan providing coverage to residents enrolled through HealthChoice Illinois. The plan generates revenue through Medicaid capitated payments and serves over 400,000 Illinois residents.
2. Medicare Services: Cook County Health participates in Medicare through ACO arrangements with Wellvana, supporting Medicare beneficiaries in value-based care contracts.
3. Hospital and Clinical Services: Direct patient care services including emergency medicine, primary care, specialty care, and surgical services billed through traditional fee-for-service or value-based arrangements.
4. Pharmacy Services: Mail-order pharmacy and retail pharmacy services providing prescription medications to patients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cook County Health is a public safety-net health system operating John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital, Provident Hospital, and more than 20 community health centers across Chicago and suburban Cook County. It provides comprehensive medical services including emergency medicine, trauma care, primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, pharmacy, and telehealth via ExpressCare. It also operates CountyCare, Cook County's largest Medicaid managed care plan, providing coverage to Medicaid enrollees through HealthChoice Illinois.

Product overview

Cook County Health is a major public health system in Chicago and suburban Cook County providing a comprehensive portfolio of healthcare services. The organization operates as a unified health system consisting of John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and Provident Hospital, multiple community health centers, and pharmacies. Key offerings include ExpressCare Virtual Immediate Care (telehealth service available 7am-7pm weekdays), CountyCare Medicaid managed care plan (the largest in Cook County with a 4-star NCQA rating), and mail-order pharmacy services. The health system provides over 40 specialty services including Neurology & Neurosurgery, Cardiology, OB/GYN, Oncology, Emergency Medicine, Trauma & Burn care, and Robotic-Assisted Surgery. The system also includes a network of community health centers, academic medical education programs, and the Change Institute of Cook County Health for innovation and community health initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CountyCare Medicaid Managed Care Plan Cook County's largest Medicaid health plan providing coverage through HealthChoice Illinois with access to 6,600+ primary care providers, 26,000+ specialists, 70+ hospital locations, and 150+ urgent care sites. Received a four-star NCQA rating in 2025, ranking as the highest-quality Medicaid plan in Illinois.
• ExpressCare Virtual Immediate Care Virtual immediate care service available 7am to 7pm, Monday through Friday, providing on-demand medical consultations for urgent health concerns through telehealth technology.
• Neurology & Neurosurgery Advanced care for neurological conditions, from diagnosis to surgery and rehabilitation, serving patients with neurological disorders across Cook County.
• Primary Care Comprehensive healthcare for routine checkups, prevention, and chronic condition management, serving patients across Cook County through community health centers and hospital outpatient services.
• Emergency Medicine Immediate medical attention for urgent conditions and life-threatening emergencies, delivered through the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital emergency department and other care sites.
• Cardiology Advanced cardiac care offering diagnostics, treatment, and heart health management for patients with cardiovascular conditions.
• Family Medicine Comprehensive primary care for all ages, focused on prevention and wellness, serving families across Cook County.
• OB/GYN Comprehensive women's health services, from routine exams to pregnancy and beyond, serving female patients across Cook County.
• Cancer Care Comprehensive cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care services for patients with oncologic conditions.
• Mental Health & Substance Abuse Behavioral health services including mental health treatment and substance abuse programs for residents of Cook County.
• Pediatrics Children's health services from infancy through adolescence, including well-child visits and pediatric specialty care.
• Trauma and Burn Trauma and burn injury treatment and care delivered through John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital's trauma unit.
• Robotic-Assisted Surgery Minimally invasive surgical procedures using robotic technology for patients requiring surgical intervention.
• HIV/AIDS Program Comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and support services delivered through the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center.
• Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging Imaging services including X-ray, MRI, CT, and ultrasound for diagnostic purposes across Cook County Health facilities.
• Pathology & Laboratory Laboratory testing and pathology services supporting clinical diagnosis and treatment across the health system.
• Pharmacy Services Mail-order pharmacy and retail pharmacy services providing prescription medications to patients through on-site and community pharmacy locations.
• MyCookCountyHealth Patient Portal Online patient portal enabling patients to access their health records, schedule appointments, and manage their healthcare needs digitally.

Quantifiable outcome

• CountyCare received four-star NCQA rating in 2025, highest-quality Medicaid plan in Illinois
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Link and Option CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Cook County Health collaborates with the Link and Option Center on mobile clinic services for mental health and maternal healthcare in south suburban communities. The mobile clinic 'Carry' provides services in areas including Harvey, Dolton, Riverdale, Markham, Robbins, Chicago Heights, South Holland, and Hazel Crest.
• VitalantminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Cook County Health partners with Vitalant to encourage blood donations, particularly targeting maternal health patients and mothers.
• City Colleges of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026HealthCatalyst partnership involving Cook County Health and City Colleges of Chicago to support healthcare workforce pipeline development. The partnership recently won a $5 million Pritzker Traubert Foundation prize. Cook County Health serves as a clinical training and career pathway partner in the healthcare talent pipeline program.
• WellvanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Wellvana announced partnership with Cook County Health to support Medicare beneficiaries through ACO (Accountable Care Organization) arrangements. The partnership adds 190,000 Medicare lives for 2026 through the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Wellvana is the largest and top-performing hospital-led MSSP ACO enabler, having saved Medicare $337 million in 2024.
• Institute of Medicine of ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Dr. Beena Peters, former System Chief Nursing Executive at Cook County Health, was appointed to chair the IOMC Maternal & Child Health Workgroup. Cook County Health maintains a connection to the Institute through its former executive's leadership role.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Health Catalyst: Healthcare data and analytics partner in the Pritzker Traubert Foundation Prize-winning workforce development initiative with Cook County Health. Not a direct competitor but a strategic ecosystem partner and a comparable company in the healthcare data/value-based care enablement space.

Emerging players

• Wellvana: ACO enabler partnering with Cook County Health to manage 190,000 Medicare lives through MSSP. Closely comparable as a value-based care partner; not a direct competitor but the most relevant strategic peer for Cook County's Medicare ACO strategy.

Direct peers

• Jackson Health System: Miami-Dade County's public health system operating Jackson Memorial Hospital and satellite facilities. Public safety-net hospital system with comparable mission, trauma services, and Medicaid-heavy patient population.
• Harris Health System: Houston-area public safety-net healthcare system serving Harris County residents through hospitals, community health centers, and specialty programs. Closely comparable in scale, structure, and Medicaid-dependent patient base.
• Parkland Health: Dallas County's public hospital district, providing comprehensive healthcare services to underserved populations through Parkland Memorial Hospital and a network of community clinics — directly comparable in mission and operating model to Cook County Health.
• NYC Health + Hospitals: The largest public healthcare system in the US, serving as NYC's public hospital system with a similar safety-net mission, operating hospitals and community health centers for Medicaid and uninsured populations. Most directly comparable to Cook County Health in mission, structure, and patient mix.
• LA County Department of Health Services: Los Angeles County's public health system providing safety-net care through hospitals and clinics, with a similar mandate to serve all residents regardless of ability to pay. Operates comparable scale and Medicaid-dependent model.

Broad incumbents

• Centene Corporation: Large managed care company with significant Medicaid health plan presence nationally, including competing plans in Illinois alongside CountyCare. Comparable as a Medicaid managed care operator at scale, though structured as a for-profit incumbent versus Cook County's public plan.
• Advocate Health: Large not-for-profit health system with significant presence in the Chicago metro area. Competes with Cook County Health for specialty and inpatient volume; broader portfolio including commercial insurance-aligned services that Cook County does not offer.

Regional players

• Cambridge Health Alliance: Massachusetts-based public safety-net health system serving Greater Boston with hospitals and community health centers. Comparable in mission and structure, but operates in a different geography with different payer dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CookCtyHealth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/cookcountyhealth
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cookcountyhhs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cook-county-health
• Instagraminstagram.com/cookcountyhealth
• TikToktiktok.com/@cookcountyhealth

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cook County Health