Chamber eyes health coverage program


Chamber eyes health coverage program

The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce this week announced a new partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas. This partnership stitches together 30 other local chambers across Kansas to offer an Association Health Plan called Chamber Blue of Kansas.

“The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce and all chambers involved in this partnership realize and recognize that recruiting and retaining talent is vital for business and industry of all sizes, especially small businesses,” said Great Bend Chamber President Megan Barfield. “Having access to trusted health insurance benefits is a crucial piece to that success.”

The partnership will continue to host information sessions and answer questions with the goal of all interested organizations completing an interest survey during August. The initial rates will be determined in September based on groups/businesses that have completed the survey and plans will become effective Jan. 1, 2023.

According to Small Business Association statistics, small businesses equate to over 99.1% of all businesses in Kansas with a combined total of 605,147 small business employees in Kansas. 

An Association Health Plan is a type of group medical insurance for organizations that allow smaller companies to access the health insurance savings associated with large group medical coverage. “Through this, small business, non-profits, and organizations can band together to purchase insurance,” Barfield said. 

This allows more people in the pool, which lowers risk across the pool, and provides more health insurance options, potentially with much more competitive premiums.

A business with two or more employees who have W-2s are eligible to participate. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas has the largest provider network in Kansas with 99% of physicians in-network, and 100% of hospitals in network.  


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