A business group in McLean County has come up with a plan it says will save employers money on employee health care — not just in McLean County, but across the state.
Charlie Moore, president and CEO of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, said it's getting really expensive to run a business, and health care is just one reason why.
“Costs are rising on everything, whether it’s their supply chains on the goods they are buying, raw materials, or whether it’s their employee costs or real estate costs of insurance costs, everything is going up, and I think we all feel that whether it’s personal or professional,” Moore said.
Health care costs recently became an even bigger question mark for businesses. Health Alliance, the largest health insurer in central and southern Illinois, is closing. Its coverage expires at the end of the year.
The chamber had a longstanding group discount buy for its members through Health Alliance, brokered by the chamber’s subsidiary, the Employers’ Coalition for Healthcare Inc. [ECHI].
Moore says since Health Alliance announced plans to end coverage, the chamber has found another provider, United Healthcare, and an opportunity to make it available on a larger scale, across the state through the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
“In talking with Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, we realized that if we could pool our resources and put lives together, we could have better buying power and a better opportunity for businesses if we join forces,” Moore said.
The statewide chamber already had about 20 local chambers of commerce in its health care network. The McLean County chamber helped get that up to 30. And it's talking with chambers and health insurance brokers across the state to grow further.
“This program provides real savings and strengthens our members’ ability to attract and retain talent, keeping Illinois competitive, pro-growth, and pro-business,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lou Sandoval said in a statement.
Moore said the plan is only available to chamber members, and businesses with fewer than 100 employees will benefit the most. It comes with a 5% discount — and potential to save 10% or more compared with prices on the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
“That’s money they can put back into retaining employees, that’s money to hire more employees, that’s money back to the business, that’s back to business growth. That 5% is a big deal,” Moore said.
New coverage starts in early January.
The network also includes a plan employers can use to offer coverage for things like vision, dental, or supplemental life insurance.
Moore said the chamber also hopes to add a flex spending program for employees to use pre-tax money for their health care.
