MADISON, Wis. — Nine insurance companies have cleared review by Wisconsin's insurance commissioner's office to sell plans to small businesses through the new market places created under the federal health care law.

The companies are:

— Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative

— Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin

— Gundersen Health Plan, Inc.

— Health Tradition Health Plan

— Medica Insurance Company

— MercyCare HMO

— MercyCare Insurance Company

— Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc.

— Arise (WPS Health Plan, Inc.)

The companies must get federal approval and sign a contract before being made available on the exchange, which has to be open for applications in October.