Medicash enters retail market in association with The Co-operative

Merseyside based healthcare cash plan provider Medicash has joined forces with The Co-operative, the UK's largest mutual retailer, in a deal that will allow customers to sign up to a healthcare cash plan in The Co-operative's food and pharmacy stores across the country.

Customers signing up in store or online can choose from a range of cash plan options from as little as £6.50 per month. The plans cover a wide range of treatments from specialist consultations to complementary therapies.

Medicash's move into retail and the association between the two companies comes at a time when more and more people in the UK are struggling to afford basic healthcare costs such as dental and optical check ups.

Sue Weir, chief executive of Medicash said:

"The cost of healthcare in the UK is rising and, in the current economic climate, cash plans represent an affordable way for people to spread the cost of health treatment and gain peace of mind. Currently only 8% of the UK population have a cash plan so this new partnership with The Co-operative gives us the opportunity to communicate the benefits of Medicash products to a broader audience throughout the UK."

The partnership brings together two brands with strong ethical values. Medicash is a not for profit organisation that makes significant charitable donations to the NHS and other health related charities. Ethical trading is at the heart of The Co-Operative group's business principles and in 2006 the group gave £7.1m of its pre-tax profits back to the community.

Patrick Allen, director of marketing for The Co-operative group, the UK's largest mutual retailer, said:

"Our association with Medicash is the result of a rigorous tender process where we considered a number of major players in the cash plan market. We are delighted to now be working with a partner who shares our ethical values and can offer our customers and also our 87,000 staff members access to comprehensive and affordable health cover."

Customers can sign up to the Medicash healthcare cash plan at any of The Co-operative's food and pharmacy stores across the UK or online at www.yourhealthcashplan.co.uk