ABC for Health

What ABC for Health does

ABC for Health, Inc. is a Wisconsin-based nonprofit public interest law firm founded in 1994 that provides health benefits counseling, legal advocacy, and coverage navigation services to low-income children and families across the state, with particular focus on children and youth with special health care needs. The organization operates through three wholly-owned subsidiaries: HealthWatch Wisconsin, Inc. (outreach, education, and policy advocacy established 2017), My Coverage Plan, Inc. (technology subsidiary established 2010 with NIH funding, holder of the patented Advocus software), and ABC for Rural Health, Inc. (rural-focused benefits counseling established 2003 with HRSA support, headquartered in Balsam Lake). Its core technology is the Precision Patient Advocacy platform, which applies structured eligibility markers (age, income, immigration status, medical status, employment) through the Advocus software to align, optimize, and record health care coverage information for individual clients; this is supplemented by the Gurulz learning management system for training benefits counselors.

The business model is a braided nonprofit revenue structure. Direct services to Wisconsin residents are provided free of charge; revenue derives from foundation grants, federal grants (HRSA, NIH, Office of Minority Health, MCH Title V Block Grant), state funding (Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation), individual donations via a 501(c)(3) vehicle, and paid Health Benefits Counseling services embedded at partner hospitals (SSM-Wisconsin, UnityPoint Health-Meriter, Sauk Prairie Hospital) at a reported 15:1 ROI for providers. Distribution occurs through direct client intake (phone, fax, email), third-party referrals from providers and social workers, embedded hospital partnerships, and a statewide HealthWatch Wisconsin coalition network across 7+ counties, with additional touchpoints through the annual Visions & Decisions conference and a 500+ video educational library. The organization is led by founder Bobby Peterson and employs approximately 11 staff across Madison and Balsam Lake.

Name

ABC for Health

Legal name

ABC for Health, Inc.

Website

https://safetyweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ABC for Health is a Wisconsin-based nonprofit public interest law firm that provides free health benefits counseling, legal advocacy, and coverage navigation to low-income children and families across the state, operating through three subsidiaries and a patented Advocus technology platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Advocacy and Legal Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Patient Advocacy, Navigation & Access to Care (BPAGACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Equity, Access & Social Determinants Programs (BPAIAJAO), Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH)

Keywords

• Health benefits counseling
• Public interest law
• Healthcare advocacy services
• Medical debt assistance
• Health coverage navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: ABC for Health relies on braided funding sources from foundations and government grants, including Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, HRSA grants, Office of Minority Health grants, and MCH Title V Services Block Grant funding.
2. Donations: ABC for Health is a 501(c)(3) corporation accepting tax-deductible donations from the public to support its mission.
3. Health Benefits Counseling Services: Provides hands-on technical assistance to hospitals (SSM-Wisconsin, UnityPoint Health-Meriter, Sauk Prairie Hospital) yielding a reported 15:1 rate of return on investment for providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ABC for Health is a Wisconsin-based nonprofit public interest law firm that delivers health benefits counseling, legal representation, and advocacy services to low-income children and families navigating health care financing. The organization operates through subsidiaries including My Coverage Plan (technology), HealthWatch Wisconsin (advocacy and education), and ABC for Rural Health (rural delivery), and provides embedded health benefits counseling at partner hospitals.

Product overview

ABC for Health operates as a nonprofit public interest law firm offering a portfolio of interconnected services focused on health care access and advocacy for Wisconsin's low-income populations. The organization is structured around three main subsidiaries: HealthWatch Wisconsin (advocacy and coalition building), My Coverage Plan (technology firm providing coverage screening tools), and ABC for Rural Health (rural-focused benefits counseling). Core services include Health Benefits Counseling, Legal Assistance in Health Care Financing, and Birth Cost Recovery Advocacy. The organization also developed the patented Advocus software through its My Coverage Plan subsidiary for coverage optimization, and employs a Precision Patient Advocacy model that applies technology-driven eligibility screening. Key digital tools include the FPL Calculator and the My Coverage Plan portal. The organization recently proposed the WisCare Plan as a policy framework for expanded health coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HealthWatch Wisconsin: A subsidiary focused on outreach, education, and advocacy that promotes improved access to health care coverage and services in Wisconsin.
• My Coverage Plan
• ABC for Rural Health
• The Mifflin Legacy Project

Products and services

• Health Benefits Counseling Services
• Legal Assistance in Health Care Financing
• Advocus Software
• HealthWatch Wisconsin
• ABC for Rural Health
• My Coverage Plan
• FPL Calculator
• Birth Cost Recovery Advocacy
• TLC for Kids
• HealthCheck Task Force
• Client Referral Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 15:1 general rate of return from Health Benefits Counseling services for hospital partners
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Shares of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC for Health is a proud member agency of Community Shares of Wisconsin, a collective giving organization supporting nonprofit public interest causes in the state.
• Civil Legal Aid Alliance of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in the Civil Legal Aid Alliance of Wisconsin, working to coordinate and advance civil legal aid services statewide.
• SSM-Wisconsin HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Benefits Counseling partnership providing hands-on technical assistance to help un- and under-insured patients link to health care coverage resources. Reported 15:1 rate of return.
• UnityPoint Health-Meriter HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Benefits Counseling partnership providing hands-on technical assistance to help un- and under-insured patients link to health care coverage resources.
• Sauk Prairie HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Benefits Counseling partnership providing hands-on technical assistance to help un- and under-insured patients link to health care coverage resources.
• Wisconsin county health departmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC for Rural Health collaborates with Wisconsin county health departments on Family Health Benefits Counseling and multi-purpose education strategies.
• CYSHCN Regional CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Regional Centers across Wisconsin's five public health regions for enhanced training, networking, referral, and direct services.
• HealthWatch Wisconsin, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC for Health subsidiary established in 2017 as an outreach, education, and issue advocacy organization to translate direct client work into training, education, and policy recommendations.
• My Coverage Plan Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC for Health subsidiary founded in 2010 - an innovative technology firm to help providers and consumers connect to and maximize all available health care coverage. Holds Advocus patent.
• ABC for Rural Health, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC for Health subsidiary founded in 2003, dedicated to delivering Family Health Benefits Counseling to patients throughout rural Wisconsin.
• Covering WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurance enrollment assistance partner serving residents of 12 Wisconsin counties, referenced in medical debt guidebook as resource for Marketplace enrollment.
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin centers that help people connect with resources for Medicare, Medicaid, and other benefits programs. Referenced as resource for Medicare appeals assistance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Judicare: Wisconsin civil legal aid provider (Legal Services Corporation grantee) that delivers free legal services to low-income residents in northern Wisconsin. Direct peer in mission and model; ABC for Health COO Brynne McBride previously worked there, evidencing the close professional overlap.
• Covering Wisconsin: Wisconsin-based nonprofit navigator organization that helps residents enroll in health insurance coverage including Medicaid/BadgerCare and ACA Marketplace plans. Direct service-line peer to ABC for Health's benefits counseling and HealthWatch Wisconsin education work, and is referenced as a referral partner in ABC for Health's own guidebooks.
• Legal Action of Wisconsin: Wisconsin-based civil legal aid organization providing free legal services on issues including health care, public benefits, and family law. Direct peer in operating model and geography, both serving low-income Wisconsin residents on public benefits issues.
• Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation: Public interest law center (at Harvard Law School) that advocates for health care access, disease prevention, and supports low-income individuals in navigating coverage. Closely comparable academic-affiliated public interest health law model.

Regional players

• AgeOptions: Illinois-area aging and benefits navigation organization serving older adults and people with disabilities. Peer in benefits counseling and enrollment assistance for Medicaid and Medicare populations, but with a regional (Illinois) geographic focus and elder-services orientation.

Broad incumbents

• National Health Law Program (NHeLP): National health law and policy organization that protects and advances the health rights of low-income and underserved individuals. A broader, national-scale incumbent performing similar legal aid, policy advocacy, and litigation work to ABC for Health's mission.
• Families USA: National nonpartisan consumer health advocacy organization focused on health care access, affordability, and equity. Comparable on the policy advocacy and coalition-building dimensions of ABC for Health's HealthWatch Wisconsin subsidiary, but at national scale.
• Community Catalyst: National nonprofit consumer health advocacy organization building the power of communities to advance health equity. Similar health-equity mission and coalition-driven model; operates nationally with state-level affiliates analogous to HealthWatch Wisconsin.
• Patient Advocate Foundation: National nonprofit providing case management, financial aid, and insurance navigation services to patients facing chronic, life-threatening, or debilitating illnesses. Comparable in patient navigation and benefits counseling mission, though operates at national scale and focuses more on direct patient financial assistance.

Emerging players

• Benefits Data Trust: National nonprofit that uses data and technology to connect low-income individuals to public benefits and resources. Adjacent in technology-enabled benefits navigation; more mature data infrastructure and multi-state footprint, but similar mission of linking eligible individuals to coverage programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ABCforHEALTH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/healthwatchwisconsin
• Facebookfacebook.com/HealthWatchWI

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 ABC for Health