Michigan-based Priority Health Aims To Expand Into Northern Indiana, Ohio Through Acquisition

Priority Health, branching out from its home turf in Michigan, announced today that it is acquiring Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana, a health plan based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that has 52,000 members in Indiana and Ohio.

Both organizations anticipate the deal will close by the end of 2024 once required approvals are completed, a news release today said.

Financial proceeds of the transaction will go to the PHP Foundation in Fort Wayne. The Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana website says the foundation gives grants to tax-exempt private agencies and public charities and that those grants have totaled more than $10 million in the past 15 years.

With 1.3 million members, Priority Health, a nonprofit health plan headquartered in Grand Rapids, is the second largest health insurer in Michigan as measured by membership. The largest is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, which has more than 5 million members.

Praveen Thadani, M.S., M.P.H.

Praveen Thadani, M.S., M.P.H., president of Priority Health, said in the news release that acquisition would “simplify and enhance” the experience of the members who live the near the Indiana and Ohio borders. The northern parts of those states share a border with the southern part of Michigan.

“Joining Priority Health has great potential to offer additional resources and innovation to PHPNI [Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana] customers and members.We expect this transaction will benefit the communities and businesses we serve,” Gary Shearer, president and CEO of PHPNI, said in the same news release.