“In just five years, the need for long-term care will nearly double with almost 25 million Americans requiring this support to live safe and independent lives,” said Erhardt Preitauer, president and CEO of CareSource.
For nearly 25 years, Lakeland Care has served Wisconsin’s older adult population and adults with disabilities through the state’s Medicaid program. The organization helps eligible Wisconsinites live independently at home and within their communities, the nonprofit said.
“Serving complex populations is our calling, and we are focused on bringing operational excellence, innovation and heart to transform the health care experience and outcomes for the most vulnerable,” Preitauer said.
Lakeland Care has about 600 employees and they will be staying in Wisconsin, CareSource said. CareSource is working to integrate the Lakeland Care employees over to being CareSource employees by Jan. 1, 2027.
Currently, CareSource is a health insurer through the Wisconsin Marketplace through its affiliation with Common Ground HealthCare Cooperative.
Growing its family of companies with organizations like Lakeland Care is key to increasing CareSource’s collective impact, Preitauer said.
Lakeland Care currently provides services to Wisconsin residents in 31 counties.
“We are excited to have found a partner in CareSource, an organization that fundamentally aligns with Lakeland Care,” said Sara Muhlbauer, CEO of Lakeland Care Inc.
Lakeland Care’s nonprofit status is integral to the work it does, Muhlbauer said.
“By focusing on what truly matters – people and their well-being – we can work in ways that remain true to our mission: Empowering individuals. Strengthening communities. Inspiring futures," Muhlbauer said.
As Wisconsin’s population ages, those 65 and older are growing in number faster than any other group. This surge is driving increased demand for managed care and long-term services, the nonprofits said.
Financial challenges have made it harder for regional nonprofits to sustain operations. The affiliation between CareSource and Lakeland Care leverages shared resources and expertise to provide care and support to older adults and adults with disabilities, the nonprofits said.
The affiliation with Lakeland Care marks the third agreement between CareSource and a Wisconsin-based health care organization.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative recently joined CareSource, signaling the organization’s entry into Wisconsin, said Cathy Mahaffey, CareSource Wisconsin Market president. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance approved that affiliation in December 2024.
In September 2024, CareSource and Community Care Inc. announced an affiliation, which is presently going through the regulatory approval process.
“Lakeland Care further anchors our presence in the state and is another example of our unwavering commitment to Wisconsinites,” Mahaffey said.
Upon regulatory approval, Lakeland Care will remain in Wisconsin.
“I am eager to see this affiliation make an even greater impact on the lives of the people we serve,” Mahaffey said.
CareSource has more than 35 years of experience in Medicaid managed care and is currently serving more than two million people across more than a dozen states. CareSource boasts an annual revenue of $11.1 billion and employs more than 4,700 people nationwide, which includes about 1,000 in the Dayton region.
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