By Jill Bennett
Your work is essential to creating a better world. The critical nature of your work–and of all those in our sector–demands that we put the health and welfare of our people first. Without engaged and healthy teams, our missions suffer. Far too many people who work for nonprofits either don’t have access to quality, affordable health care or find that co-pays and prescription costs create barriers to accessing timely care for themselves and their families. In response to this need, UNA has added first-dollar coverage to its Group Health Insurance Plan.
The Utah Nonprofits Association Benefits Plan Now Offers First Dollar Coverage
In its simplest terms, first-dollar coverage means the health plan pays first. This allows employees and their families to access care without fear of being unable to pay upfront costs, such as deductibles and copayments. With first dollar coverage, those seeking care needn’t worry about meeting a deductible before the plan kicks in, either. The plan pays for medical appointments, hospitalizations, prescriptions, and other in-network medical expenses first.
Effective January 1, 2024, Utah Nonprofit Association (UNA) Members will have exclusive access to a new kind of health plan: Nonstop Health. I regard Nonstop Health as one of the most valuable resources UNA has identified to help our members control the cost of their health coverage without slashing benefits. Nonstop Health helps protect your employees by eliminating or drastically reducing upfront out of pocket costs—while potentially saving your organization on costly premiums.
Nonstop Health is a health benefits program that allows UNA members to fund their employees’ healthcare premiums and out-of-pocket expenses while also potentially saving on premiums annually. Nonstop Health combines an ACA-compliant health plan from Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah with a section 105 medical expense reimbursement plan (MERP), which covers all employee upfront out-of-pocket costs, with no copays and no deductibles!
When I first learned about this program, my initial thought was that it's too good to be true. (Spoiler alert: It is not.) If you offer health insurance to your employees, want to offer this benefit, or provide health-care stipends, it's worth your time to secure a quote by emailing UNA@beehiveinsurance.com or calling 801-685-6860.
We'll be rolling out informational resources in the weeks ahead, so please be on the lookout for more detailed information from our benefit partners. To learn more, sign up to view this helpful informational video.
At UNA, it is our charge to ensure that Utah’s nonprofit employers who provide health coverage can access and maintain affordable health insurance for their employees. We have always, and will continue to wholeheartedly champion, the health of every nonprofit employee. We’re thrilled to play a role in protecting the health of our most valued resource: our people.
Take care of yourself and each other,
Jill Bennett
Chief Executive Officer
Utah Nonprofits Association