Benefit Design & Strategies, LLC specializes in working with small group Vermont employers on their medical insurance as well as other employer-sponsored benefits. Contact Benefit Design to see what we can do for your company or non-profit organization

 With the small employer (refer to the definition below) all to often one person, usually the owner or the financial manager (often the executive director in the case of nonprofits), is splitting his or her time handling accounting and administrative responsibilities plus having the added burden of procuring and administering the benefits package.  

 Think of Benefit Design as your out-sourced benefits manager who can save you time and money by gathering and presenting insurance information in an organized format for making astute decisions when purchasing employee benefits and then works closely with the decision-maker to ensure a smooth implementation of the plan(s). Throughout the year we make ourselves available to the administrator and employees to answer benefit questions and resolve claim disputes.

 In Vermont, Small Group Means Under 51 Employees

 In the state of Vermont, employer groups with 50 or under full-time permanent employees qualify for “community-rated” and “association” health plans in which premiums are filed with and approved by the state's Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA for short). Under Vermont's community-rated regulations for small employer groups, premiums cannot deviate from the published rates regardless of the group's demographics, the participants' claims utilization or the nature of the business. Once a group is enrolled and the plan is implemented, premiums are locked in for one year. Many association plans, which often tend to have more competitive community rates, are open to any business or nonprofit organization (visit the Association Medical Plans page).

Advantages and Disadvantages of VT's Community Rating

For an employer that has a workforce with numerous chronic medical issues and/or members experiencing non-work-related accidents or illnesses requiring expensive medical treatment, the small-group community-rated system is a distinct advantage. Furthermore, state law requires all carriers serving the small-group arena to accept all enrollees without regard to an individual's state of health, referred to as "guaranteed issue". This creates a more even playing field for smaller Vermont employers as insurers cannot refuse to offer coverage to a less healthy group. Conversely, an employer with a young and healthy staff might find the universal rates to be higher than those it could obtain were Vermont to have an unregulated marketplace.

A small employer in Vermont should begin reviewing its medical insurance at least a month and a half , and preferably two months, prior to its anniversary date. Benefit Design & Strategies LLC works closely with a number of small-group Vermont employers not only with their health insurance but also their other employer-sponsored benefits.  Let us demonstrate the unprecedented level of service we can provide for your company.