Associated Health Plan

ECH Members have access to a Taft-Hartley Health Plan, which was created pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement between ECH and NWA (National Workers’ Association).

Member Advantages

  • Education
  • Networking
  • Marketing
  • Self-Funded Resources
  • Health Plan Access
  • Direct Primary Care Model
  • Low Cost Prescription Models

Health Plan Strategies

  • Reference Based Pricing (RBP)
  • Networks: PHCS, Cigna, Aetna, BCBS
  • Prescription Rebates and Discounts
  • No Balance Bill In-Network
  • No Surprise Bill
  • Streamlining Underwriting
  • Composite Pricing
  • Level Funded Plans
  • Stop-Loss Insurance

Our Association Health Plan (AHP) is a type of health insurance plan that allows small businesses and self-employed individuals to pool together and purchase health coverage as a group. The aim of AHPs is to give these groups access to more affordable health insurance options by leveraging their combined purchasing power.

In an AHP, participating employers or individuals may be from different industries or geographical locations, but they share a common affiliation, such as belonging to the same trade association, professional organization, or chamber of commerce. The plan is typically sponsored by the association, which acts as the plan administrator and negotiates with insurers to provide coverage to its members.

AHPs are regulated by both state and federal laws. Prior to the introduction of new federal regulations in 2018, AHPs were subject to state-level regulations, which made them difficult to form and limited their ability to provide comprehensive coverage. The new regulations, however, allow AHPs to operate as large group plans under federal law, which means they are exempt from some of the requirements that apply to individual and small group health plans, such as the essential health benefits and community rating rules.

This change has made it easier for AHPs to offer less expensive plans with less comprehensive coverage, but also increased the risk of discriminatory practices, such as cherry-picking healthier members or excluding those with pre-existing conditions. As a result, the new regulations require AHPs to comply with certain nondiscrimination and solvency standards to protect consumers.

AHPs can provide a variety of health insurance products, such as preferred provider organization (PPO) plans, health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) with health savings accounts (HSAs). AHPs may also offer additional benefits, such as dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage, as well as wellness programs and disease management services.

One of the main advantages of AHPs is their potential to lower costs for small businesses and self-employed individuals, who often face higher premiums and limited coverage options compared to large employers. By pooling together, AHP members may be able to negotiate lower rates with insurers, spread the risk of health care costs across a larger group, and achieve economies of scale in administrative costs.