Association Health Plan for Washington State Businesses

What is an Association Health Plan?

Business Health Trust is what the insurance industry calls an Association Health Plan (AHP). Association Health Plans allow small businesses to join together as a group to purchase insurance so their employees can have access to the same pricing and coverage enjoyed by large employers.

BHT was founded in 2007 so that small businesses and non-profits could offer their employees the benefits they need to stay competitive, and provide health insurance for groups that might not otherwise be able to afford coverage.

Since our founding, we’ve merged with other health trusts, expanded our reach across the state, improved our offerings, and added additional benefits. Today, more than 15,000 small business employees across the state get their health insurance benefits through BHT.

More than just a benefits solution, we advocate for small business insurance needs in Washington.  We are vigilant about staying on top of changes in the market and advocating for changes that benefit small businesses — nationally, and at the state and local level.

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What does Business Health Trust do?

We offer comprehensive and affordable employee benefits to small and mid-sized businesses and non-profits in Washington state so that they can provide competitive employee benefit programs for sustainable organizations and healthy, productive employees. BHT is what the insurance industry calls an Association Health Plan.

Our comprehensive offerings give employers a choice of over 40 affordable medical plans, and a wide range of additional employee benefits. Not only that, we handle all aspects of plan administration, offering consolidated billing, online payment, and online access to benefits for easy enrollment throughout the year.

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What is Group Health Insurance vs an Association Health Plan?

“Group health insurance” refers to insurance plans that businesses large or small can offer to their employees. An Association Health Plan is when businesses actually band together as one large group which helps lower expenses and can come with other values as well.

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What are Association Health Plan Pros and Cons?

While there are always pros and cons to consider for any health plan decision for your business, most small businesses find that this is the best way to provide their employees with the competitive benefit packages of larger employers with employer-sponsored plans. Some have noted potential pitfalls with AHPs that are limited to certain industries. Fortunately BHT is covers practically any industry.

What size of business does BHT serve?

Whether you have 2 employees or more than 100 we can help you create a benefits program that attracts top talent and keeps your workforce healthy and happy. So as a small tech startup in Seattle, a mid-sized business in Cle Elum, or a non-profit in Bellevue – you can provide competitive benefits programs to your team.

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What kind of business does BHT work with?

Our partnership with regional Chambers and business associations in Washington allows us to offer insurance plans to virtually every type of business throughout the state of Washington. Businesses we partner with include those in aerospace, agriculture, automotive, business services, construction, manufacturing, media, retail, technology, tourism and transportation.

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Can I offer multiple plans to my employees?

Yes. If you have 10 or more employees, you can offer multiple plans, giving your employees options that meet their individual needs.

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Are all of the plans ACA compliant?

Yes!

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Does BHT offer non-medical benefits?

Yes! We offer Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, access to pre-tax FSA and CDHP, and more.

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What kind of consumer protections are in place with Association Health Plans?

The same consumer protections and healthcare anti-discrimination protections that apply to large businesses will also apply to AHPs organized under this rule. Furthermore, AHPs may not charge higher premiums or deny coverage to people because of pre-existing conditions, or cancel coverage because an employee becomes ill. AHPs will not be able to charge different premiums to employees based on their health status. Additionally, AHPs under this rule will not be able to charge employers different rates based on the health status of their employees. Learn more here.