Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan

Acronym: CO-OP

A non-profit, non-government, consumer-driven health plan that would serve as an alternative to a private health insurance program. A health insurance co-op would be owned and controlled by people and small businesses that purchase health coverage from the co-op, not by insurance companies or outside investors. CO-OPs were initiated by the ACA, which allowed for start-up loans for new CO-OPs. That funding was later rescinded under tax relief legislation.