Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce offers health plans for small businesses

NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) – A recent ruling by the United States Department of Labor permits chambers and associations to offer association health plans once again.

Benefits will now be offered to small businesses, because of a partnership with HealthyView of East Texas, a benefit offered exclusively by Chambers in East Texas and the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce.

Scott Waller is the president and owner of XETX Business Solutions in Nacogdoches and has faced many challenges recruiting and retaining good talent due to the lack of health insurance options.

“Large enterprises have had a huge advantage over small businesses and that they were able to offer benefit packages that a small business simply could not offer,” said Waller.

He currently has six people employed in his business without group insurance .

"Because for one thing it’s not available to businesses with the number of employee’s I have, and it is cost prohibitive,” said Waller.

Now that health plan options will be available locally chamber staff say it will also result in to lower premiums, better coverage and more availability.

Waller says having this option will not only help smaller businesses compete for good talent with larger businesses, but also help people with their medical needs.

“In today’s economy the cost of healthcare is very expensive, so being able to offer health insurance gives the employee a peace of mind to know that if they do have a health issue it will be taken care of and their family will be taken care of."

Participants interested in being considered for this benefit must be a member of the Nacogdoches Chamber. The underwriter is UnitedHealthcare and both local hospitals are in-network.

The Nacogdoches County Chamber will host a series of health insurance forums for businesses that employ between 2 to 50 employees that will introduce the new products and also answer questions.

The first forum will be held on Tuesday, December 4th at 2 p-m at the chamber office.

For more information please call the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce at (936)560-5533.

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