Group offers health options

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce is now first in the state to offer discounted health care directly to its members.

The chamber is attempting to provide a health care option to employers who struggle to insure their employees by allowing members to seek coverage directly from the chamber.

 The program in partnership with Carrboro-based Piedmont Health Services will charge flat fees of $60 for visits to a general practitioner $20 for lab results and $10 for prescriptions.

Only uninsured employees of chamber member businesses are eligible. Families of eligible employees will also be able to sign up for the program.

Aaron Nelson president and CEO of the chamber said 30 people have signed up for the pilot program so far. Enrollment is currently capped at 50 people he said.

Betty Melanson public relations and marketing spokeswoman for Piedmont Health" said those who have enrolled in the program have reacted positively.

""I have had people come in and sign up for this program and leave in tears because they could finally visit a doctor"" Melanson said.

A visit to a primary health care provider without insurance would cost three times this amount, if not more, she said.

People without insurance get care less often and later, resulting in worse outcomes, according to Bill Roper, CEO of UNC Health Care.

It will mean that some businesses will be able to offer health benefits to their workers" who otherwise would be not covered and thus not able to access health services as readily" Roper wrote in an e-mail.

In states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio, chambers of commerce insure members directly, Nelson said. This is not the case in North Carolina.

Nita Fulbright, vice president for membership services and small business at the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, said North Carolina is one of the few states in the country whose chambers of commerce do not offer discounted medicine plans.

All chambers get calls requesting enrollment in medical plans" especially from people moving from other states" Fulbright said.

I think it's exciting that some of the chambers are providing services for chamber members.""

Melanson said Piedmont hired a team of students at the Kenan-Flagler Business School to determine who the health plan should target.

The study concluded that the plan should target people who work"" but lack health insurance.

The model then took more than a year for Piedmont Health Services to develop.

""It was a brand new concept. We wanted to be sure that we were ready to handle it"" Melanson said.

Steve Henson, a business broker with Carolina Business Enterprises and a new chamber member, said he likes to see the chamber providing benefits.

I think it's a good intermediate step between no health care and full coverage.""



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.