New small-business program offers more choices

HealthPass, a small-business health insurance benefit program that gives each employee a choice of 21 different health benefit options from four leading insurers, is now available to small businesses in Rockland County and Long Island.

The four participating insurers are: Group Health Inc. (GHI),

A New York City initiative that is now expanding to other parts of the state, HealthPass was launched in September 1999. It became available to small businesses in Westchester in September 2000.

Traditionally, when small businesses offer health insurance, employees are given only one plan option. By choosing HealthPass, small-business owners can offer their employees a wide range of options for their health care coverage, an advantage that larger employers have routinely offered for years. Employees can choose the plan at the price that fits their budget and with the doctors and hospitals they want. Employers can set their company contribution for employee health insurance at an amount that is affordable for their business.

"We are extremely pleased that HealthPass will now be available to small businesses in Long Island and Rockland County. We know that employees want more choices in health insurance, and small-business employers want an easy, affordable health benefit option that will satisfy their workers. With HealthPass, small businesses ran get it all. Employers can set their company contribution for employee health insurance at an amount that is affordable for their business, and each employee can choose a health plan that best meets his or her needs," said Mitch Zaretsky. executive director of HealthPass.

Though it gives each employee a choice of 21 different benefit options from four different insurers, HealthPass has one standardized enrollment form and one monthly statement, minimizing paperwork for the business owner. There is also one number to call for customer service. Monthly premiums for the different insurance options available through HealthPass start as low as $174 for an individual policy.

Specifically designed for businesses with two to 50 employees, HealthPass is sold by insurance brokers and agents.

HealthPass also offers many services to customers via the Internet, including rate information, enrollment processing, up-to-date coverage and premium information for each enrolled employee, billing and payment records and the ability to download forms.

HealthPass is a partnership of the city of New York and the New York Business Group on Health (NYBGH), a leading nonprofit that works to improve the quality and availability of health insurance in New York.