The Alliance

What The Alliance does

The Alliance (legal name: Employer Health Care Alliance Cooperative) is a not-for-profit cooperative founded in 1990 by seven Madison-area employers seeking to control escalating healthcare costs. Headquartered in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, the cooperative pools the purchasing power of 500+ self-funded employer-members across the Midwest to deliver provider network services, healthcare analytics, and benefit plan design support covering 132,000 lives as of 2026.

The cooperative's core platform is Smarter Networks, a suite of custom provider networks including the Comprehensive Network (34,500+ doctors, 175+ hospitals, 10,500+ clinic sites covering more than 91% of Wisconsin), tiered Premier Networks (Ruby and Emerald), and a Preferred-Value Provider designation. Underpinning the networks is Reference-Based Contracting methodology, deployed in over 80% of contracts, which prices services as a percentage of Medicare rather than negotiated commercial rates. Supporting technology includes Smarter Health Analysis (claims data mining for steerage recommendations and savings estimates), Find a Doctor and Smarter Care Advisor transparency tools (powered by HealthSparq, with cost and quality comparisons across 70+ procedures), and integrations with WPS powered by Auxiant for ASO plan administration, National CooperativeRx for PBM, and CAQH for provider credentialing.

Revenue is generated through cooperative membership fees (employers purchase stock to join), recurring subscription-style fees for network access and analytics services, and patronage dividends that return net proceeds to employer-members based on usage. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales (Director of Business Development plus account executives), broker/consultant partnerships with a dedicated Broker ToolKit, and TPA integrations including WPS powered by Auxiant. The wholly-owned National CooperativeRx subsidiary handles pharmacy benefit management, while Trilogy Health Networks extends provider reach to more than 94% of Wisconsin.

Name

The Alliance

Legal name

Employer Health Care Alliance Cooperative

Website

https://the-alliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative founded in 1990 that enables self-funded employers across the Midwest to control healthcare costs through shared provider networks, reference-based contracting, and healthcare analytics. It serves 500+ employers covering 132,000 lives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fitchburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Membership Fees: Self-funded employers purchase stock in The Alliance (to join the not-for-profit cooperative) and pay small fees for services and access to Smarter Networks. As a not-for-profit cooperative, any net proceeds are distributed back to employer-members in the form of patronage checks.
2. Network Access and Contracting Services: Fees for access to provider networks encompassing hospitals, physicians, specialists, and other providers across the Midwest. The Alliance uses its purchasing power to contract directly with providers at significantly lower rates.
3. Cooperative Shareholder Benefit (Patronage): As a not-for-profit cooperative, The Alliance gives a share of net proceeds back to employers in the form of patronage checks. An employer's earned percentage is based on how much they used The Alliance network to purchase healthcare in that year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative that provides self-funded employers with access to Smarter Networks of healthcare providers across the Midwest, along with Reference-Based Contracting, healthcare cost analytics, transparency tools (Find a Doctor and Smarter Care Advisor), and benefit plan design consulting. Employer-members purchase cooperative stock and pay membership fees to access the network and services, with net proceeds returned via patronage dividends.

Product overview

The Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative of self-funded employers offering a unified platform of healthcare cost management and network services. The core product is Smarter Networks℠, a suite of provider networks including the Comprehensive Network (34,500+ doctors), Premier Networks (tiered benefit plans), and Preferred-Value Providers. Supporting modules include Smarter HealthSM Analysis (claims analytics), Smarter Care AdvisorSM and Find a Doctor Tool (transparency tools), Reference-Based Contracting by The Alliance® (payment reform), and Direct Primary Care Partnerships. Additional services encompass pharmacy benefit management through National CooperativeRx, Benefit Plan Design consulting, Health Policy Advocacy, Healthcare Transformation Awards, and educational Events and Webinars. The product integrates with HealthSparq for provider search, multiple EDI clearinghouses for claims processing, CAQH for credentialing, and WPS/Auxiant for ASO plan administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Smarter Networks: Custom provider networks designed to help self-funded employers save money by partnering with doctors and healthcare providers across the Midwest.
• Smarter Health Analysis
• Reference-Based Contracting
• Preferred-Value Providers
• Comprehensive Network
• Premier Networks
• Smarter Care Advisor

Products and services

• Smarter Networks (Comprehensive Network + Premier Networks)

Quantifiable outcome

• Wisconsin alone could save $394 million per year if employers steered patients to lower-cost providers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, strategic and core.

• QUEST CounselingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Mental health awareness partnership encouraging employers to focus on prevention during Mental Health Awareness Month.
• Dr. Jonah BergerstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Multi-year healthcare research initiative partnership with consumer behavior expert Dr. Jonah Berger to study and reduce healthcare costs through behavioral insights.
• Aspirus HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partnership expanding in-network care options for self-funded employers. Part of The Alliance's continued network expansion initiative.
• Aurora Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partnership providing broader in-network care options for employer-members.
• Froedtert Pleasant Prairie HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partnership expanding provider options for self-funded employers.
• Trilogy Health NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined network offering self-funded employers seamless coverage with access to both The Alliance and Trilogy Health Networks. Covers more than 94% of Wisconsin.
• WPS Health Solutions (powered by Auxiant)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASO health plans wrapping The Alliance's Smarter Networks with additional coverage. Offers more than 25 stop-loss partners, 20+ PBM services, care management, and healthcare navigation programs.
• National CooperativeRxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmacy benefit management partnership providing greater value for pharmaceutical spending with discounts, clinical programs, national network, and enrollment fee reductions for Alliance members.
• Direct Primary Care ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVetted Direct Primary Care providers delivering care at lower costs. Alliance shares Preferred-Value Providers list with DPC partners for specialty referrals.
• American Benefits CouncilstrategicOthersProvides expertise and education on health policy issues. The Alliance belongs to The Council on behalf of employer-members.
• National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser CoalitionsstrategicOthersOffers insights on current health policy issues and may comment or reach out to legislators regarding issues impacting healthcare purchasers.
• Self-Insurance Institute of America (SIIA)strategicOthersMember-based association dedicated to protecting and promoting business interests of companies involved in self-insurance and captive insurance industry.
• Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC)strategicOthersState's largest business association and state chamber of commerce. Alliance belongs to this organization on behalf of employer-members.
• Advancing Free Market HealthcarestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommittee pursuing consumer-centered, free market healthcare marketplace. The Alliance partnered with AFMH to amplify collective voice of employers on health policy matters.
• RAND CorporationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Alliance and employer-members participated in RAND's Hospital Pricing Transparency Project (Rand 3.0 and 4.0) - nationwide analysis of commercial hospital prices paid vs. Medicare prices.
• Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network (WISHIN)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent not-for-profit building statewide health information network to connect physicians, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and clinical laboratories.
• Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit improving quality, affordability, safety, and efficiency of Wisconsin healthcare through All-Payer Claims Database. President & CEO Curt Kubiak serves on WHIO Board.
• Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublicly reports and brings meaning to performance measurement information. WCHQ members represent more than 65% of Wisconsin's primary care physicians.
• National Quality ForumstrategicOthersNonprofit measuring and standardizing initiatives to enhance healthcare value, make patient care safer, and achieve better outcomes.
• The Leapfrog GroupstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit using shared leverage of large healthcare purchasers to improve safety, quality, and affordability of healthcare. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade rates hospitals on patient protection.
• National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP)minorOthersNonpartisan organization committed to developing and advancing state health policy innovations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH): Chicago-based employer coalition serving self-funded employers across the Midwest. Comparable to The Alliance in member-driven advocacy, network contracting, and education services, with overlapping Illinois/Wisconsin footprint.
• Employers' Forum of Indiana: Indiana-based employer healthcare coalition (2022 Healthcare Transformation Award recipient via The Alliance). Operates a similar member-coalition model focused on self-funded purchasing power and value-based care.
• Houston Business Coalition on Health: Regional employer coalition that aggregates self-funded employer purchasing power and delivers cost-containment analytics. Operationally comparable to The Alliance at a regional scale.
• National CooperativeRx: Wholly-owned PBM subsidiary of The Alliance; comparable as a cooperative pharmacy benefit manager serving self-funded employer-members with patronage-based value delivery.
• Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH): A nonprofit employer-led coalition that negotiates healthcare on behalf of self-funded purchasers. Direct peer to The Alliance as both operate as employer-purchaser cooperatives focused on value-based contracting and transparency.

Broad incumbents

• Auxiant: Third-party administrator that partners with The Alliance to deliver ASO health plans. Comparable as a TPA serving self-funded employers with broader national reach beyond The Alliance's regional network.
• Zelis: National healthcare cost management platform offering payment integrity, network solutions, and analytics. Comparable to The Alliance's reference-based contracting and steerage capabilities but at much greater national scale.
• WPS Health Solutions: Wisconsin-based health insurer and TPA that partners with The Alliance for ASO plan administration. Comparable as a regional incumbent offering stop-loss, PBM, and administrative services alongside broader insurance products.
• National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions: National umbrella organization of employer purchaser coalitions; The Alliance is a member. Acts as a broader strategic peer for advocacy, benchmarking, and coalition-level services rather than direct contracting.
• MultiPlan: Public company (NYSE: MPLN) offering PPO networks, payment integrity, and cost containment to payers and self-funded employers. Comparable to The Alliance in network-based cost management but with national scale and for-profit structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thealliance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theallianceorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/148160445235537
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/268271

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles27 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about The Alliance