Launch of TexHealth Harris County 3-Share Plan Provides Affordable Healthcare Benefits
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-10-22 09:56:44 | Word Count: 986
The Harris County Healthcare Alliance, together with UnitedHealthcare and
Community Health Choice, has launched the TexHealth Harris County 3-Share Plan,
designed to offer affordable health benefits for uninsured employees of small
businesses in the county. The goals of the program are to increase the number of
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local workers with healthcare coverage, improve their wellbeing and access to
care, and assist small businesses in remaining competitive with a healthy
workforce.
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett says, "Here in Harris County, we are progressing
with initiatives to expand healthcare coverage and improve healthcare delivery
for the benefit of the entire community. The TexHealth 3-Share Plan for small
business employees is a step in the right direction."
Houston Mayor Bill White says, "Houston is home to the best healthcare services
in the world, yet nearly one-third of our residents lack health insurance - the
highest percent of any major city in America. The new 3-Share Plan responds to
the needs of the working uninsured for low-cost preventive and primary care, and
to small business employers who need a group health benefits program free of
high premiums and administrative costs."
The Harris County 3-Share Plan is an initiative of the Harris County Healthcare
Alliance, an independent nonprofit that serves as a catalyst for improving the
healthcare system of Houston/Harris County. The Alliance is one of six Texas
community organizations, collectively known as the TexHealth Coalition, that are
developing similar programs across the state. The Coalition was instrumental in
fostering the success of Senate Bill 10, passed by the 80th Texas Legislature
and signed by Governor Rick Perry to provide new health coverage options for
low-wage workers.
Harris County Healthcare Alliance Executive Director Karen Love says, "The costs
of these types of programs are shared among employers and their employees, and
subsidized by one or more sources of public and/or private funding. For the
Harris County 3-Share Plan, the public-private subsidy fund currently totals
$4.5 million, including State Health Access Program federal funds, State
Appropriations, Community Health Choice funding, and the City of Houston`s
Contractor Responsibility Fund." She adds, "We have even been granted funds
specifically to assist employees of small businesses impacted by Hurricane Ike."
The TexHealth Harris County 3-Share Plan is available through small employers
(defined as those with 2 to 50 employees) who have not offered group health
insurance in the past 12 months. Membership is limited to employers whose
principal place of business is in Harris County, although their employees may
reside outside county lines. Eligible employees (those who work at least 30
hours per week and receive a W-2 form) may opt for coverage through one of two
benefit plans: Plan A through UnitedHealthcare or Plan B through Community
Health Choice.
Randy Giles, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, South Texas, says, "UnitedHealthcare has
long offered common-sense, tailored health benefit solutions for Houston-area
businesses and more than one million of their employees and dependents. As we
help launch the TexHealth Harris County 3-Share Plan, our team of professionals
is excited to be part of this public-private partnership that will offer a
unique health benefit option for currently uninsured small business employers
and their employees."
Community Health Choice President and CEO Kenneth Janda says, "For more than 13
years, Community Health Choice, an affiliate of the Harris County Hospital
District, has delivered high-quality, affordable healthcare to the underserved
population of Southeast Texas. Most of our 150,000 members are children of
low-income, working families. Through the new 3-Share Plan, we will facilitate
access to culturally sensitive, affordable care that improves health outcomes
for currently uninsured adults, including many who may be the parents of our
current members."
The Harris County 3-Share Plan provides employee-only benefits. Dependents of
participating workers may be eligible for other low-cost healthcare coverage,
such as the State of Texas Access Reform (STAR) Medicaid program or federally
funded Children`s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Employees who earn pre-tax wages of $16 per hour (approximately 300 percent of
the Federal Poverty Level) or less are eligible to have one third of the total
cost of their 3-Share Plan premiums subsidized. The premiums will vary by
employer group and, based on an average $240 per month premium, each "share"
paid by the employee (post-subsidy), employer and subsidy will be in the range
of approximately $40 to $120 per month. Higher-income employees may be eligible
for 3-Share coverage, but will not be eligible for the subsidy.
Both 3-Share Plan options (A and B) cover inpatient hospitalization and
outpatient hospital surgery, primary care visits/preventive care, radiology and
other diagnostic tests, emergency room visits, prescription drugs, and
behavioral healthcare. The degree to which each plan covers specific services
varies in terms of number of visits, surgeries and hospital day stays allowed,
annual deductibles, co-insurance, out-of-pocket costs and maximum benefits.
Depending on which plan the participant chooses, preventive dental, vision exams
and other services may be covered. The extensive 3-Share provider network
includes thousands of doctors and encompasses most major Houston-area healthcare
systems and their medical staff.
Workers of eligible small businesses are encouraged to
check with their employers as to whether and when enrollment will be offered for
their company.
