Montana Chamber of Commerce puts health care in reach

Mike Dennison’s recent article on the decrease in the number of uninsured in Montana is good news. However, I can add one additional reason we are making progress in getting Montanans covered.

The Census Bureau reported that 20,000 Montanans gained health insurance coverage since 2005. In 2004, the Montana Chamber of Commerce started an association health insurance program, Montana Chamber Choices. With a merger this past year from Associated Merchandisers Inc., Chamber Choices now covers around 20,000 lives.

About half that number, 10,000 people (roughly the number in Carbon County) were previously uninsured. In other words, Montana Chamber Choices has accounted for half that gain in the number of insured!

Yes, there is more to do! First, we just hired Chelsea Fagen as our new health benefits director to ensure we collaborate to decrease preventable disease. Additionally, we sponsor the annual Healthcare Forum (http://www.montanahealthcareforum.com), which seeks solutions for this issue. And, finally, we will continue our advocacy for a healthy Montana.

Unlike Insure Montana, there is no waiting list for Chamber Choices, and small employers with one to 99 employees are immediately eligible to gain coverage through this health program. We invite those businesses to check it out. No, the subsidy is no longer available. But every other new customer in Chamber Choices is previously uninsured, so we must be doing something right.

For more information, please visit our Web site at http://www.chamberchoices.com. This program is truly living up to its motto: "We’ve got you covered!"

Webb Brown
Helena

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/09/12/opinion/gazette/24-chamber.txt