re: OCA group health insurance --

[Guest guest]

Hi all -- Before this new topic OF GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE STARTS TO CIRCULATE--

I think that accurate history of events is needed so that we don't go down another road

that has started with inaccurate information being posted to this list serve.

In the past I had tried to get several different companies to take a look at the Chiropractic Association

for a possible group health insurance plan. BCBS would not even consider us -- we were "high risk"

supposedly (because we know the ins and outs of insurance). LifeWise has individual plans but would

not look at a group situation. I had Doerfler (Agent) of Arnold Bruce and Doerfler look into it for

me and he said that we would need to have a commitment of a high percentage of members to be

able to even have an underwriter look at it (like 80-90% of entire membership).

WITH REGARDS TO A GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN FOR THE OCA here is what actually did occur:

Dr Guerrero did in fact talk to an agent but I did follow up. First of all they needed to know if anyone was

interested. I sent out a letter to the association members asking that question. I received about 20 of those back

and that was it. If the interest was there I would have needed to gather further information from those that responded

with interest. But as additional information began to surface as to what implementing this type of plan would actually involve

I took it to the OCA Board and explained it to them as I will now explain to all of you.

First of all -- a group plan of this type needs to have an "Administrator". Dr. Guerrero indicated to me

that that would be my responsibility as the Exec. Director -- however, I can certainly not take on that

responsibility in addition to all of my other duties that already exist as the OCA ED. If the Board

would have wanted to proceed they would have needed to either form a committee to handle this project

or hire another person to take on that role. There are many responsibities for the "Administrator" of

such a program/group plan.

Next -- after my multiple conversations with those same agents (that Dr Guerrero referred me to) it finally came

out that if we set up a group health plan through them -- that the OCA would be billed monthly for

each member premium and would have to be responsible for paying that bill. I would then be in

the collection business from members for not only their association dues but also for their health insurance

premiums. Meanwhile the OCA check book would be held responsible for all of that. I explained

that to Dr Guerrero at that time. As you can

imagine, we do not have a bank account that could fund a program of that magnitude and be responsible

for payment of member premiums. There was no option for the insurance company to bill the members

for their own premiums.

Right now -- this office just got finished with multiple elections, meetings, mailers, and we have a convention in

2 weeks. Please do not start calling the OCA office with regards to interest in a health insurance program --

we need to be answering the phone for "convention registrations", making the convention packets/name tags/

certificates/ coordinating with the vendors and affiliates with regards to convention and also continuing with

the daily business and normal member questions and concerns.

Perhaps after the convention and when the new Board of Directors is in place they can form a committee

that can resume looking into possibilities but the logistics of that particular plan was not anything the previous

Board was willing to implement and right now I have other priorities.

Jan Ferrante, OCA Executive Director.

From: drjohansen@...Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:30:59 +0000AboWoman@...CC: ; chirooregon@...Subject: Re: Association Health PlanMinga and al, the correct email for the OCA is chirooregon@.... the gmail adress doesn't receive messages. I like the idea of a group health offering, but underwriting could be a problem. My son is a UWS student and found out thier student group health plan is very cumbersome when he had some routine medical lab tests R Johansen D.C. PC,DABCOChiropractic Life Center12762 SE Stark StreetPortland Oregon 97233Voice 5032557746,Fax 5032550818----- Association Health Plan

Do we have a group health insurance policy as chiropractors? I know other associations (non-chiropractic) group together to dramatically decrease their health plan costs.If so, can I get that information.

Thanks, Cluen, DCJan Ferrante, Exec. DirectorOregon Chiropractic Association10570 SE Washington St #202Portland, OR 97216Ph: 503-256-1601Fax: 503-256-1602web: www.ocanow.com