The Genesee Area Healthcare Plan (GAHP) began operating in December 1981. The original schools were Byron-Bergen, Kendall, Livonia, Pembroke, Royalton-Hartland and Genesee-Wyoming BOCES. Over the years 17 other districts have joined the plan and presently healthcare is provided to approximately 4,200 employees and their families. The Plan is governed by the Genesee Area Healthcare Board of Directors. Each of the participating school districts has representation on the Board.

Genesee Area Healthcare Plan is a Preferred Provider Organization or PPO. They are called "preferred provider organizations" because the insurer (Excellus BCBS Rochester Region) prefers that the subscriber use certain providers. The subscriber is encouraged to use the in-network or "preferred" providers with whom the insurer has cost saving agreements in place.

There are no restrictions as to what doctors are available to the sucscriber, however, PPO's offer the subscriber financial incentives to use in-network health care providers. When you choose an out-of-network provider, you first have to meet an annual individual or family deductible and then you are responsible for a coinsurance (a percentage of the cost of services). Remember that there are PPO participating provider networks throughout the United States available to you. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield of Rochester has partnerships with other BlueCross BlueShield Plans around the country to see that subscribers and their families, living or traveling outside the Rochester area can take advantage of their in-network benefit. If you are out of town and get sick, or if you or a family member live outside the Rochester region and need to find an in-network provider, simply call the BlueCard PPO Network Doctor and Hospital Information Line at 1-800-810-2583.