For Immediate Release
Plan Designed Specifically For Builders Associations To Offer More
Health Care Options To Small Employers
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWi)
announced today the launch of the BuildersEdge Health Plans, a
health benefits package designed specifically for members of the
Brown County Home Builders Association, Sheboygan Builders
Association and the Metropolitan Builders Association.
BuildersEdge Health Plans are an innovative health insurance option
that provides affordable and flexible coverage options to companies
that employ between 2 and 50 workers and are members of these three
builders associations. The associations operate in Brown, Jefferson,
Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Waukesha and Washington counties.
Available January 1, 2005, BuildersEdge Health Plans is a
competitive health benefits package that enables these small
employers to offer their employees several unique plan options,
including PPO and Open Access plans, with a variety of deductible
and co-insurance levels. The companies who are members of the
builders associations in the plan can also include up to five Health
Savings Account (HSA) plan options in their benefits package. Their
employees can manage their share of the costs by choosing the health
care coverage that best fits their lifestyle and their families’
needs.
“Current research clearly indicates that increasing costs of health
care is making it difficult for many small group employers to
provide coverage,” said Penny Siewert, general manager of individual
and small group accounts for BCBSWi. “We are proud to partner with
the participating Builders Associations to create a health benefits
package that meets the needs of their members who are small group
employers. We designed this plan exclusively for these associations
and their member companies to provide an innovative plan with
affordable rates.”
The unique advantages of the BuildersEdge Health Plans include:
* 15-Month Rate Guarantee
* MedCall® Services
* Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
15-Month Rate Guarantee: More traditional insurance plans may offer
annual or bi-annual premium increases, however, BuildersEdge Health
Plans offer a unique 15-month rate guarantee, with coverage renewing
annually after the first 15-months.
MedCall ®: In addition to the rate guarantee, the BuildersEdge
Health Plans offer value-added benefits such as 24-hour access to
health information through MedCall®, a confidential telephone
service that connects members to a registered nurse or audio library
of health topics.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): EAP is an extensive program that
provides consumers with resources to help balance the daily demands
of personal life and work life.
The Open Access and PPO options in the BuildersEdge Health Plans are
insured by either BCBSWi or its affiliate, CompcareBlue.
For more information on the BuildersEdge Health Plans, small group
employers should contact their Association, their broker or call
(877) 861-3666. Employers can also obtain information via the
Internet by visiting www.bluecrosswisconsin.com
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin serves more than 770,000 medical
members and is the state’s largest health insurer. Headquartered in
Milwaukee, the company offers a flexible product portfolio with a
broad range of options for small, medium and large groups, as well
as individual plans for people without access to group coverage.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin is an operating subsidiary of
WellPoint, Inc., the nation’s largest publicly traded commercial
health benefits company serving the health care needs of
approximately 28 million medical members nationally. Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Wisconsin is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and
Blue Shield Association and can be found on the web at
www.bluecrosswisconsin.com
