Articles
9 February 2012

Salt Lake Chamber Supports Enhanced Utah Health Exchange

by PR or News Wire

09 February 2012—

The Salt Lake Chamber, one of Utah’s most prominent health reform champions, will be among hundreds of businesses enrolling in the enhanced Utah Health Exchange. Business leaders support the Utah Health Exchange because of its cost-reducing features.

“We were the first organization to sign up last year and we continue to support the Utah Health Exchange,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “The Exchange allows businesses to control costs while increasing the level of choice for employees.”

One year after its initial launch, the Exchange has been streamlined to require less information from enrolling organizations, providing a higher level of customer service and has controls to ensure competitive rates.

“The State of Utah has made great strides in improving the overall experience for companies wanting to use the exchange to build choice and flexibility into the health benefits they offer their employees,” stated Steve Neeleman, M.D. and CEO of HealthEquity, Inc. “An important step in improving the experience was to add a call center solution staffed with our own knowledgeable HealthEquity Specialists based right here in Utah to help producers, employers and employees understand the exchange process and navigate the complexities of the health insurance purchasing decision.”

The Exchange will put money into the hands of health consumers, encouraging them to make smart choices about how to spend their health care dollars. Consumers will benefit from a clear web interface that will offer side-by-side comparisons of cost and quality data. Insurance providers will also be able to create plans that better fit consumers’ needs.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all states to establish a health exchange by 2014 or they will be required to join a regional or national exchange. Thanks to the leadership and dedication of House Speaker David Clark and other elected officials, Utah is poised to benefit from lower health care costs and increased choice.

The Exchange is open to all businesses with 2-50 employees. The employer registration period runs through September 15 for benefits effective January 1, 2011. Registration is available online at exchange.utah.gov. Enrollment continues beyond the initial deadline for benefits effective in subsequent months.

 


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