Health Action Council

What Health Action Council does

Health Action Council (HAC) is a member-driven, not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization founded in 1983 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that represents approximately 240 mid- and large-size self-funded employers, union groups, and non-profit organizations covering roughly 2.5 million lives across the United States. The organization's core offering is collective group purchasing of medical, prescription, vision, and navigation services, delivered through long-term partnerships with UnitedHealthcare (medical administrator since 2010) and Optum Rx (pharmacy since 2017), supported by education programming and health improvement initiatives including the Step It Up Challenge and the Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge (run on the YuMuuv platform with integrations to Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Health, Google Fit, Polar, and Suunto). HAC also serves as the Leapfrog regional leader for Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon, producing biannual hospital safety grades, and operates the Health Quality Forum, a 501(c)(3) research subsidiary formed in 2008 that convenes health plans, physicians, hospitals, and pharmaceutical stakeholders on quality and cost issues.

Revenue is generated through capped annual membership dues ($3.00 per employee/retiree with a $1,000 minimum and $10,000 maximum; flat $1,000 for public employers and community non-profits, $500 legacy rate for pre-2016 public/community members), supplemented by administration tied to group purchasing programs and partner sponsorships (e.g., CBIZ for wellness challenges). The organization is governed by a board of directors drawn from member organizations including MetroHealth, Swagelok, Lubrizol, Eaton, Boulder Valley School District, City of McAllen, and GECOM, with leadership under President and CEO Patty Starr, who joined in 2013 and has overseen national expansion and seven consecutive years of growth.

HAC distributes thought leadership through annual white papers (ninth edition published February 2026 with UnitedHealthcare, analyzing 225,000+ member lives), the HealthActionBriefing podcast series, an annual conference and expo (launched 2004), member newsletters, and active social channels; its GTM is sales-led direct membership engagement with mid- and large-size employers, augmented by self-serve wellness challenge participation open to non-members.

Name

Health Action Council

Legal name

Health Action Council

Website

https://healthactioncouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Health Action Council is a member-driven 501(c)(6) nonprofit, founded in 1983 in Cleveland, representing approximately 240 self-funded employers, unions, and non-profits covering roughly 2.5 million lives through collective group purchasing of medical, pharmacy, vision, and navigation benefits, education, and health improvement programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employer Healthcare Coalition

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patient Advocacy, Navigation & Access to Care (BPAGACAH), Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

Keywords

• Group purchasing organizations
• Employer healthcare coalition
• Employee benefits purchasing
• Wellness program management
• Healthcare cost management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Employer Membership Fees: Annual membership fees based on per employee/retiree structure. Employer membership at $3.00 per employee/retiree with annual minimum of $1,000 and maximum of $10,000. Public employers and community non-profits pay $1,000 annually.
2. Group Purchasing Administration: Administering group purchasing programs for medical, pharmacy, vision, and navigation services on behalf of member employers, leveraging collective purchasing power to secure better rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Health Action Council is a member-driven 501(c)(6) not-for-profit coalition that provides employers with collective group purchasing of medical, prescription, vision, and navigation services; professional education with continuing education credits; and health improvement programs including the Step It Up Challenge and Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge. It represents approximately 240 employer members covering about 2.5 million lives and partners with UnitedHealthcare and Optum Rx to deliver negotiated rates unavailable through individual negotiation.

Product overview

Health Action Council is a member-driven not-for-profit organization offering a unified portfolio of group purchasing, education, and health improvement programs. The core offerings include Group Purchasing for medical, pharmacy, vision, and navigation services; professional Education programs with continuing education credits; and Health Improvement initiatives including the Step It Up Challenge and Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge wellness programs. Supporting programs include Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, Emergency Room Redirection, Find the Right Care, and annual white paper research publications. The organization leverages its collective purchasing power for over 240 employer members covering approximately 2.5 million lives to secure favorable terms from providers including UnitedHealthcare and Optum Rx.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Step It Up Challenge A no-cost, four-week employer wellness step program that promotes physical activity through friendly competition. The turn-key program coordinates challenges in spring, summer, and fall with team and individual prizes, open to both HAC members and non-members.
• Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge A national no-cost, four-week step program promoting overall health and wellness for schools and the community. Engages school leaders, educators, staff, and parents to model healthy habits for students while competing for school wellness funding.
• Group Purchasing Leverages combined group purchasing power of over 240 employer members and approximately 2.5 million covered individuals to secure more affordable medical, prescription, vision, and navigation services with terms and rates unavailable through individual negotiation.
• Education Professional learning programs based on member and vendor feedback, industry trends, academics, community partners, and emerging market information. Provides continuing education credits and content directly impacting an employer's bottom line.
• Health Improvement Programs dedicated to achieving quality outcomes for employer members and their employees. Collaborates with community partners through the Health Quality Forum foundation to improve healthcare quality and efficiency.
• Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades A biannual rating program assigning A-F grades to general hospitals based on their ability to protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. HAC serves as regional leader for Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon.
• HealthActionBriefing Podcasts Podcast series providing insights on healthcare trends, benefits strategy, and wellness topics including GLP-1 medications, obesity, and healthcare cost management.
• Healthy Kids Program Comprehensive program focused on five areas: preventable disease vaccinations, medical/dental/vision well-child visits, physical activities, healthy food choices, and health literacy. Includes toolkit resources for employers.
• Annual White Papers Annual research publications analyzing healthcare trends among HAC members, including the ninth annual white paper with UnitedHealthcare analyzing health data from over 225,000 members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members with obesity represent 26% of population but account for 46% of all healthcare spend, at $973 PMPM vs $421 for non-obese members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CBIZminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026CBIZ sponsors the Step It Up Challenge and Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge programs, providing support for wellness initiatives.
• Optum RxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Optum Rx was selected for Rx group purchasing in 2017, succeeding CVS as the pharmacy benefit management partner.
• The Leapfrog GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Health Action Council serves as the Leapfrog regional leader for Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon, promoting hospital safety grades and transparency in healthcare quality.
• UnitedHealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010UnitedHealthcare serves as the Health Action Council preferred medical administrator since 2010. HAC collaborates with UnitedHealthcare on research and white papers analyzing health trends among member populations.
• CVScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995CVS was selected for Rx Group Purchasing beginning in 1995, providing pharmacy benefit management services to HAC members.
• YuMuuvcoreTechnology or IntegrationYuMuuv serves as the wellness platform partner for Step It Up challenges, providing step tracking, device syncing, team leaderboards, and challenge engagement features.
• Health Quality Forum (HQF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Quality Forum is a charitable, non-profit 501(c)(3) subsidiary formed in 2008 that focuses on high-quality, cost-effective healthcare and enables employer members to collaborate with health plans, physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical industry, and other stakeholders.
• MoveSpringcoreTechnology or IntegrationMoveSpring was the original wellness platform partner for Step It Up challenges, providing activity tracking, device integration, and team competition features before transitioning to YuMuuv.
• Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOHSAA partnered with Health Action Council for the Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge, awarding prize money to winning school districts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northeast Business Group on Health (NBGH): New York-based employer health coalition offering group purchasing, education, and thought leadership to large employers. Direct peer in the same business model category.
• Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH): Large employer coalition on the West Coast with similar group purchasing, quality transparency, and clinical collaboration focus. Operating at a larger scale in a different region.
• Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH): Chicago-based employer coalition serving similar mid/large-size employers in the Midwest. Direct peer competing for similar members in overlapping geographies.
• National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH): National umbrella of employer-led health coalitions; HAC is a member and 2010 NBCH Value-Based Purchasing Award winner. Direct peer in the employer health coalition space.
• Employers Health (formerly Ohio Employers Health Coalition): Ohio-based employer health coalition with pharmacy and benefit purchasing programs. Direct peer with deep overlap in HAC's home state.

Broad incumbents

• The Leapfrog Group: Hospital safety and quality transparency organization for which HAC serves as a regional leader. Adjacent in mission (healthcare quality) but broader in scope and national.
• ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC): National association advocating for large employers on employee benefits. Adjacent peer — both serve large employers, but ERIC focuses on policy advocacy while HAC focuses on group purchasing.

Emerging players

• Catalyst for Payment Reform: Employer-led nonprofit focused on healthcare payment reform and value-based purchasing. Comparable mission with a more policy/research orientation versus HAC's purchasing orientation.
• Purchasing Solutions Group: Group purchasing organization focused on mid-market employers. Comparable business model in collective benefits purchasing, though broader across non-health categories.

Regional players

• Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health: Regional employer health coalition serving Texas-based employers. Direct peer in model but geographically distinct from HAC's Midwest/Northwest footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WeRHealthAction
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP9ZCG94mermL09r21cXLYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HealthActionCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/healthactioncouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Health Action Council