BOSTON – August 15, 2017 – The Massachusetts Health Connector today launched the first phase of its new small-group website, creating a system that will make it easier for employers and brokers to manage information and plans, and for employees to select coverage.
Health Connector for Business will deliver new tools and benefits to brokers, employers and employees, making it easier to manage a company’s health insurance offering and delivering new options to businesses and employees.
“We are pleased with the successful launch of the first phase of the Health Connector for Business website, and look forward to adding additional choices between carriers this November,” said Louis Gutierrez, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. “We are excited by the benefits and opportunity the new platform will deliver to our current participating companies, and those that come on board next year.”
The new platform was developed through a unique partnership with the Washington, D.C., Health Benefit Exchange Authority, the health insurance Exchange in Washington, D.C. Through this partnership, the Health Connector uses a separate branch of the DC Health Link’s existing online platform to improve offering to small businesses and their employees, while reducing long-term operational costs for the small-group online system.
The first phase launched today includes access to plans from three carriers, Boston Medical Center Health Plan, Fallon Community Health Plan and Health New England. Businesses renewing coverage this fall will transfer to the new system, and new groups can use the system to select plans from those carriers.
In November, additional carriers will be added, along with the opportunity for employers to provide choice options to their employees for new enrollments and renewals starting Jan. 1, 2018. Through those options, employees can select a plan that best meets their health care and financial needs.
The new Health Connector for Business will put the power to control costs and other significant flexibility to employers and employees. The system will be easy for employers, brokers and employees to use. Through the additional flexibility provided in the system, employers, with help from brokers, can design a plan that best reflects the needs of their company, while employees will be able to select from a range of plans. The new platform provides affordable options to employers and employees, and gives business owners the ability to set predictable monthly health costs for their company.
The new Health Connector for Business can be found at MAhealthconnector.org.
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