School board approves Innovia direct primary care contract at $34.50 per member per month

The Wisconsin Rapids School Board approved a contract with Innovia Health on a roll call vote to add a district-sponsored direct primary care (DPC) clinic for staff at a cost of $34.50 per member per month. The board action directs staff to begin implementation steps and to coordinate member outreach and enrollment.

Board members and administrators said the district is pursuing the contract to give employees easier access to primary care and, over time, reduce growth in health-plan costs. Superintendent Ron Rasmussen said the district’s most recent 12-month medical loss ratio was 121 percent and that the district is pursuing several long-term strategies to lower utilization and improve plan predictability.

Innovia representatives described the proposed clinic model, which guarantees same-day access for acute care, 30–60 minute primary-care visits, telehealth and messaging with a dedicated care team, on-site phlebotomy and basic procedures, and a month-to-month contract structure. Jen Corte, the district’s broker from m3, said Innovia offers “same day access for anything acute” and that visits and messaging are unlimited for enrolled members. Lori Allman of Innovia emphasized longer visits and continuity of care: “My goal is to find out what is best for each patient.”

Administrators presented estimated near-term costs and a multi-year projection prepared with Innovia. Innovia’s baseline pricing given to the board was $34.50 per member per month; the district’s head count produced an estimated first 15‑month cost (including an October–December phased start) of roughly $809,800, with an interim October–December estimate presented separately for adult members. Innovia also proposed tiered reductions to the per‑member fee tied to additional Rapids‑based employers joining the site: incremental per-member credits at 2,500–3,500 enrolled patients at that location.

Board members and staff discussed implementation mechanics and incentives. Innovia and m3 staff outlined options the district could use to encourage utilization—biometric screening events, partial HSA contributions tied to clinic use, or other incentive designs used by neighboring districts. Administrators said incentives were not finalized and would be part of later personnel/benefits conversations; the contract approved by the board does not itself change HSA or premium rules.

Administrators recommended a conservative build timeline: Innovia and the district estimated site readiness and equipment would take roughly 90 days, with a realistic clinic go‑live around November 1; Innovia offered Stevens Point and other shared clinics as interim access for employees before the Rapids site opened. Innovia said labs would be processed by Quest Diagnostics (typical turnaround 24–72 hours) and that on-site lab pricing would be offered at close-to-cost rates.

The board decision followed a public and staff outreach process that included a district-organized presentation and a staff survey reporting high interest; Innovia said early adopter employers in the region have reported material downstream savings across labs, imaging and specialty referrals when paired with active steering and later self‑funded plan designs. Board members stressed that savings depend on utilization: staff cautioned that if employees do not use the clinic, projected downstream savings to the health plan would not materialize.

The board vote authorizes district staff to finalize the Innovia contract and begin implementation steps including site lease preparations, employee enrollment communications and coordinating any incentive mechanics for the 2025–26 plan year. Administrators said the contract and the Innovia partnership will be folded into broader health-plan budget discussions in the coming months.