Health Care Joint Venture Formed

Irvine-based Beech Street Corp., a major provider of health and workers’ compensation benefits, said Wednesday it has entered into a joint venture with Interplan, a Stockton manager of physician and hospital networks, to establish a network providing managed care services throughout the western U.S.

Privately held Beech Street provides health care services for roughly 19 million U.S. residents, including a large number in California and Nevada, the company said. Interplan serves both group health plans and workers’ compensation payers, providing health care services for more than 1.1 million people in California and Nevada.