washington business
“ If an employer does not offer health insurance, candidates are probably going to think twice about accepting a position with them.”
— Debra Brown, president of AWB’ s employer-services subsidiary Forterra by the numbers
180 million americans get their health coverage through an employer.
Employer-provided insurance is also convenient.
“ It can be hard to find quality coverage on your own, and it can be more expensive,” said Brown.“ Group plans tend to offer more choice, be more affordable and offer richer benefits.”
the rise and success of association health plans
For small employers, the cost of offering health insurance can be prohibitive and the administration too complex— unless they can find a solution such as an association health plan( AHP). AHPs are employer-sponsored health programs offered through bona fide trade associations such as AWB. They allow associations to band their small-employer members together to offer high-quality health care, personalized assistance and more.
In 1995, AWB worked closely with then- Gov. Mike Lowry to craft bipartisan legislation that offered a pathway for AHPs to take hold in Washington. At that time, small employers wanted better access to health care plans and Gov. Lowry wanted to find ways to help cover the uninsured. The creation of AHPs was offered as a solution, and it worked. Today, hundreds of thousands of employees and their family members are enrolled in AHPs.
AHPs are fully insured through insurance companies that are approved to operate in Washington. They cover all state and federal benefit mandates and typically offer richer benefits than what’ s available in the small group market. AWB’ s AHP, HealthChoice, launched in 1996. About 2,500 employers currently participate in HealthChoice, covering nearly 26,000 people across the state.
3,978,100 washingtonians
86 % of workers in washington
82 % of single coverage premiums
93 % of americans
89 % of americans
63 % of americans or 52 % of the state’ s population, are covered by employer-provided health insurance.
are employed by a company that offers health benefits.
are paid by Washington employers.
are satisfied with their current employerprovided insurance.
prefer to get their coverage through their employer.
say they would be less likely to vote for a lawmaker who supports taxing employer-provided health benefits.
Sources: AHIP, U. S. Chamber of Commerce
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