Chambers start program to help small businesses offer health insurance

BY DREW TERRY Northwest Arkansas Times



Health insurance access will become the latest benefit for small businesses joining the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.



The local organization has joined the Chamber Alliance Program, a creation of its counterpart in North Little Rock, to provide health insurance opportunities to member businesses with fewer than 200 employees. "It?s probably not for everybody, but it?s hopefully an option for folks who don?t have or in some cases currently can?t get insurance" chamber President Bill Ramsey said. "An awful, awful lot of small businesses and their people can?t even get insurance."



Staff with the North Little Rock chamber began exploring the idea of an alliance health care program as early as 2001 when the state Legislature approved the Health Insurance Purchasing Group Act.



Businesses with fewer than 25 employees make up an estimated 75 percent of that chamber?s membership, and officials saw an alliance program as a way to offer a tangible benefit to joining the chamber.



Their initial pursuit ended when insurance carriers declined to enter discussions, but the staff achieved better results last year upon revisiting the idea.



After approaching four major carriers in Arkansas, the chamber selected Qual-Choice. "We?ve just enjoyed an outstanding relationship with QualChoice," said Richard Eden, director of the Chamber Alliance Program. "Since we?ve started, we?ve conducted our business with senior management, and they?ve been directly involved in the program."



Under the plan, independent insurance agents can be certified to offer the insurance package.



About 10 agents in Fayetteville completed the certification program in late September, and the local chamber hopes to launch the service locally in the coming weeks.



Thirty-three chambers in the state have joined the program, which celebrated its first year in operation on Nov. 1.



Increased participation in the plan leads to more favorable rates, and Eden expected bigger numbers in a year two, with the Fayetteville and Rogers/Lowell chambers among the organizations planning to launch the program. "I guess the best way to give a snapshot of the program is by saying that as of November, 650 members were covered in the program," he said. "That growth has been done without Fort Smith, without all of Northwest Arkansas, without Russellville, Searcy and Jonesboro, so we think the program is primed for some spectacular growth in the coming year."