Health insurance is a major concern for every business owner. As the year winds down, business owners will be reviewing their expenses and considering how insurance affects their bottom line. Hardware Retailing checked in with Bob Chiesa, president and CEO of Custom Benefits Insurance Group Inc., to learn more about the NRHA Health Insurance Program, which offers health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance to operations as small as two employees.
“I always encourage people to look at their insurance options,” Chiesa says. “It costs nothing to review what’s available to you. That’s where the NRHA Health Insurance Program has proved so valuable and successful for so many retailers.”
Chiesa says the biggest change to health insurance in 2019 is the repeal of the individual mandate, which required all adults to have health insurance or pay an annual penalty. Beginning in 2019, individuals will no longer be penalized for not carrying health insurance, but it is still a requirement on 2018 taxes. Chiesa urges every retailer to explore their options.
Employers with fewer than 50 workers are not required to provide health insurance to their employees, but Chiesa says more health insurers are beginning to target smaller companies, some with as few as two employees, so even small operations can now explore health insurance options that fit their specific business model.
The NRHA Health Insurance Program offers a range of flexibility, Chiesa says, including plan design, the use of various PPO doctor networks and a national pharmacy program. The program is available to retailers in every U.S. state and includes a convenient online member’s claim portal.
For more information on the NRHA Health Insurance Program and to request a no-obligation quote, contact Chiesa at cbigi@msn.com or visit nrha.org/health-insurance.