Small businesses often face barriers when trying to provide their employees with quality health benefits; high premiums, limited plan options, budget constraints, and administrative burdens are among the top challenges. Without quality benefits, businesses struggle to retain talent, reduce turnover, and foster healthy and stable workplaces. Employees understandably leave for larger corporations that can negotiate better rates with insurance companies.
That’s why the Greater Fayetteville Chamber launched a new, affordable health insurance option for small businesses with two to fifty employees. Carolina HealthWorks, an option made possible by the NC Chamber, Blue Cross NC, and Consoliplex, offers high quality benefits that typically only large employers can afford.
“The Greater Fayetteville Chamber has long recognized the need for an affordable, accessible health insurance solution for small business members,” said Greater Fayetteville Chamber President and CEO, Nat Robertson. He said the program development began over a year ago, and enrollment opened on Nov. 1.
“It took months of coordination, compliance review, and detailed planning to ensure that the launch would be sustainable, competitive, and genuinely beneficial for our smaller Chamber members.”
Behind the scenes, efforts that led to the launch included gaining regulatory approval from the NC Department of Insurance, analyzing data, and designing a plan.
“The Greater Fayetteville Chamber conducted extensive outreach to understand member needs and ensure the program would be accessible for businesses with two to fifty employees. Together with the NC Chamber, we also built the enrollment and communication framework, so Chamber members could immediately access the program when enrollment opened on November 1st,” he said.
Since opening enrollment, Robertson says they’ve seen a positive response, with many smaller Chamber members saying this was the first health insurance option they found that fit their needs. Those interested in the program include employers who previously didn’t offer insurance coverage due to cost, and employers who want to improve the benefits they already offer.
“Interest and inquiries continue to grow, and insurance agents and benefit partners are actively helping businesses navigate the enrollment process,” said Robertson. He says the chamber is committed to supporting members throughout the enrollment process so that they can make the most of these new resources. The Chamber’s goal is to provide solutions that make a real difference for members, and Carolina HealthWorks promises to do that by improving employees’ quality of life, elevating businesses’ competitiveness, and contributing to a stronger local economy.
Carolina HealthWorks is available only to members of the NC Chamber or participating local chambers, according to their website. Considered a “special multiple employer welfare arrangement,” employers can enjoy competitive rates, fixed monthly payments, and multiple plan options, including health savings accounts, no deductibles, dental coverage, and vision coverage. The program includes more than 2 million doctors and hospitals nationwide, coverage in nearly 200 countries and territories, and health and wellness programs at no additional cost.
“We want our members to know that programs like Carolina HealthWorks represent the core of what the Greater Fayetteville Chamber strives to do,” said Robertson. “This health insurance option is one of the most impactful benefits we have been able to offer, and we encourage any business with two to 50 employees to explore it and see whether it meets their needs."