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UAMCC Kaiser, Blue Cross & Blue Shield Group Rates

Carlos Gonzales

New member
The UAMCC has been working for many months establishing dialogue and spearheading a direction for the establishment of Health Insurance Group Rates for the UAMCC. The three primary health insurance carriers, Kaiser and Blue Cross & Blue Shield, have been the target for us in these discussions. With the help of Joel DeGuzman ~ Broker for all three carriers ~ the UAMCC has established the necessary credentials to take these discussions to the next level with Kaiser and Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

Joel DeGuzman has informed the UAMCC that we do qualify for a UAMCC Group Rate Plan for all three carriers. This is great news to say the least. We at the UAMCC have been very cautious in just jumping at what we think is a great opportunity for the UAMCC Assoc. and it's members. Joel recognized this early on in our meetings with him and he has gone as far as obtaining comitments from both Kaiser and Blue Cross & Blue Shield to be available to answer any and all questions we as members have about the UAMCC Group Rates.

Our dilema, if there is one, is that the UAMCC must act as the "payment center" for all three plans. Meaning that UAMCC Inc. would need to pay the Group Rates for each state that has active paying UAMCC members in their respected plan. In order for a state to receive the UAMCC Health Insurance Rate, the UAMCC MUST have at a minimum of 2 contractors in that particular state to qualify for a Group Plan.

An example would be that if the state of Texas had ohhh lets say 20 UAMCC Members - 2 out of that 20 would need to join the same plan in order to receive the UAMCC Group Rate for that Plan. IF one of the two decides to "drop" their insurance or misses a payment...then the other member would automatically be dropped. Our approach or goal is to have more than 2 members interested in Health Insurance in their particular state. This is why you see on our BBS the forums that ask each contractor which state they are from. We wanted to see the demographic make up of our members and hopefully future members.

Having the UAMCC as the "payment center" is a big step. I am a little uneasy about this at first blush i.a. having UAMCC as the payment center. Today we do not have the manpower to fulfill this tasks. This could very well be a full-time job.

One option that has been discussed is having a 3rd party serve/act as our payment center. They would be responsible for collecting monthly health payments from our members and also paying the monthly bill to Kaiser and Blue Cross & Blue Shield. I want to be careful in doing this because I do not want the third parties fee for managing our health care program to reach a level that does not encourage enrollment because of the cost.

Joel DeGuzman has stated repeatedly that a UAMCC Group Plan could save all of us up to 30% on our health care insurance. I want to make sure that we all are having a savings in this and this is why I am a little concerned about hiring a third party.

Open enrollment is July and January. July is out of the question for a UAMCC enrollment. However, if we do get the membership signup through the summer I think we should at least consider looking at January as a possible enrollment for our members.

We do have the green light on this but we must look at the "infrastructure" of the UAMCC today and decide whether or not it will be worth the investment and time to offer this up to our members. If we pursue a third party on handling the payments for us then the UAMCC will need to establish a Health Benefit Comittee of active UAMCC members to research the cost of a third party involvement.

Thoughts?
 

Tony Szabo

New member
Yes,
How do we get a quote if there was two active members in Illinois?
I would like to see what the cost is for my Family.
 

Barry M

New member
So basically it won't be available to ALL members? If some guy in Kansas is the only UAMCC member there, then he wouldn't be eligible for the insurance which is supposed to be a members benefit. Hmmmm.....interesting.

For me, I would want to see how many members were here in Indiana when the time drew closer to this thing actually happening. It would seem a bit flighty for me if there were just a few of us here. I don't want a risk of me getting dropped because some fly by night guy went out of business and dropped his insurance.

There is no way around this minimum or exceptions of 2 from each state? All three insurance providers you mentioned have this same rule?
 

Indy Power Wash

New member
I'm with Barry. You'd need quite a few more than the minimum 2 for a comfort level. When you start jumping companies and you have a health issue the next company can drop coverage on a pre-existing condition that happened during the previous carriers term. Big trouble.

There also may be a time when a spouse gets a different job with much better and cheaper insurance and you opt out. So fly by nights aren't the only factor. I'm guessing you'd need at least 6 committed to be sure you wouldn't be left holding the wrong end of the stick. Seems like a pretty weird restriction for underwriting to me. I'd think a group nationwide minimum would make more sense unless it's a company that isn't licensed in each state already. Anthem is everywhere.

FYI for Indiana my son would be interested but my wife is a teacher and has great insurance for us.
 

Ken Fenner

Active member
Barry, you are correct which is why we have been tentative to list this as a benefit. Because insurance has to be issued in a person's resident state, its a bit of a brick wall. In PA we will have little problem getting the required contractors early on. In some of the less populated states, I don't know, let's say Wyoming it could take a little longer. Look at this as a gravy benefit as the core reason for the UAMCC's existence is to better the industry in both standard and perception. We added the list of benefits we present today to also satisfy the immediate "what's in it for me" factor. Barry, you are a straight up guy so I will grant you the respect as a good friend to give it to you in that same manner. Take the leap of faith. This thing is solid. There are already 40 members that have some incredible qualifications. With more guys like yourself onboard, things will continue to happen and they will happen rapidly.

As far as this particular benefit.. We've laid the ground work. It may come to fruition for some right away, it may not happen as quickly for others. I agree with all the sentiments of having to have a cushion of members in each state before the UAMCC makes a formalized request to these providers. We have to start somewhere.
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
So basically it won't be available to ALL members? If some guy in Kansas is the only UAMCC member there, then he wouldn't be eligible for the insurance which is supposed to be a members benefit. Hmmmm.....interesting.

For me, I would want to see how many members were here in Indiana when the time drew closer to this thing actually happening. It would seem a bit flighty for me if there were just a few of us here. I don't want a risk of me getting dropped because some fly by night guy went out of business and dropped his insurance.

There is no way around this minimum or exceptions of 2 from each state? All three insurance providers you mentioned have this same rule?

Carlos and the agent are working this, just my point of veiw is.....No it wont be available to all members possibly for a while or ever. I know this plan, there's an org I am involved in that has this. in some states they have many many people signed up and many states they dont have enoigh so no one in that state can get it.

If here in South Carolina if there's only 3 members want it. I wouldnt stop my insurance now and joing even if I could save 30%, because of the risk if the others dropped out. BUT if we had 10 members I wouldnt have a problem signing up for it. I also might use it for my employees IF I can. I now pay for a plan (personal plan) for my foreman. If I could save 15 - 30 % Ya I would put him on it if there was only 3 or so. I have nothing to lose and I would save money and if it got dropped on my employee OH Well, I would just go back to the more expensive plan.

Barry I would say if there's only 2 or 3, maybe not flighty, if you have NO other plan in place. but definitly a risk. But if say you have nothing now and couldnt find anything else it might be worth the risk

I look at it this way. as a UAMCC member who wants this but dont have enough members, I as a member would be looking to get more contractors on and grow your state with more members. Some states in time could have tons of members and it might be a no brainer to use the bennnie

As for all members cant use it. Thats the way it is with this plan and many like it for orgs. But its like the NES Lift Rental bennie, I cant use that bennie theres no NES anywhere near me.

I hope my state will have enough members because I will definitly put my employee on it

The agent I hear can only sign up people a couple times a year and is willing to talk to all at a certain time, say the UAMCC conference and explain it all

I hope it works for my state. When my wife leaves her job for good, I would like to have a plan that saves me money.
 

PressureWashE

New member
hopefully there will be more than 2 Texas contractors.. I think there will be.

Also does this plan extend to the family of the contractor.. and maybe employees in the future.


John
 

John Orr

UAMCC Treasurer
Hypothetically...If one contractor in state A is the only UAMCC member, but has 10 employees, could he buy a membership in UAMCC for each employee, thereby qualifying his state but not putting his policy in jeopardy by having one other contractor drop their coverage? Just a thought.
 

Carlos Gonzales

New member
Hypothetically...If one contractor in state A is the only UAMCC member, but has 10 employees, could he buy a membership in UAMCC for each employee, thereby qualifying his state but not putting his policy in jeopardy by having one other contractor drop their coverage? Just a thought.

John and others - I have a 10:00 appointment with the broker today to ask this and other questions. I will post his answers.
 

Joel de Guzman

UAMCC Insurance Broker
Hello UAMCC Contractors. My name is Joel de Guzman. I have been working with the UAMCC Transition Team this past year in establishing an array of benefits for the UAMCC Assoc.

Carlos has requested for me to join the UAMCC BBS to answer any questions that you may have regarding the life and health insurance that is being promoted through the new UAMCC Assoc.

I will visit this site daily to check for any new questions and/or to bring all of you up to date on any new developments relating to the UAMCC Health Insurance Group Rate and Life/Disability Insurance.

There is tremendous potential for the UAMCC to have a variety of opportunities relating to insurance.

Myslef and my company represent the top insurance companies throughout the U.S. We look forward to establishing a productive and careful dialogue with the UAMCC Membership. We will deliberately walk the UAMCC through each step as it relates to coverage and cost for both heath and life.

Please feel free to post any and all questions that you have relating the insurance benefits that are currently being established for the UAMCC Assoc. Myself and my team will continue to evaluate and explore additional opportunities for the UAMCC Assoc. relating to cost savings for your coverage.

We look forward to work with you and it is our hope that the UAMCC will be able to make these benefits a reality!
 

Scott Millen

New member
Welcome Joel! I'm sure you will be much better able to address questions that the Transition Team, I appreciate you taking the time to do this for our members.
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
Yes Thanks Joel!!!

There has been some questions already asked in this thread, maybe you could start with those, such as employees of contractors are they included in the minimum etc

This is great you will be here to help and walk us through this
 
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