Symetra Offers Medical Coverage to Montana Nonprofits
Helena, Mont. — (November 21, 2005) — The Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) has partnered with Symetra
SM Life Insurance Company, Insurance Coordinators of Montana, and Mountain West Benefit Solutions to improve health coverage options available to members of the association. The partnership with MNA will help make medical insurance more attainable for more than 5,000 Montana nonprofit organization employees and their families.
Rapidly rising health care costs are a major obstacle to offering employer-based health insurance, particularly for smaller organizations with limited resources. In Montana, just over half of the state’s citizens receive employer-based health insurance and 19 percent of the population is uninsured, according to a recent study by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research
1. Symetra’s
Select Benefits, a limited benefit health and life insurance policy, represents a medical insurance solution for organizations that may not be able to fund major medical coverage for their employees.
Select Benefits can give MNA members access to cost controlled health insurance and enables them to provide all eligible workers with essential medical benefits. While
Select Benefits is not designed to substitute for comprehensive medical coverage, the policy does provide eligible employees and their family members with coverage for such basic services as doctor’s office visits, hospital stays, and prescription drug benefits.
"Many of our members lack any form of employee medical coverage," said Brian Magee, MNA executive director. "This partnership is an important step toward making health coverage more accessible to our members, and preserving a strong and vibrant nonprofit sector in Montana."
The
Select Benefits policy is available to MNA members with one or more eligible part-time, full-time, or temporary employees. One rate covers all employee family members. Plus, there are no required networks, no limitations on preexisting conditions, and no requirements for proof of good health (except for late entrants). In addition, there are no deductibles for covered benefits and no copay requirements, except with the prescription drug benefit.
Interested nonprofit organizations can find out more information about
Select Benefits, including pricing options and available benefit levels, by contacting Insurance Coordinators of Montana at 406.449.9777. Insurance Coordinators of Montana can also assist participating MNA members with the employee enrollment process under
Select Benefits.
About Symetra Financial
Symetra Financial is a family of companies with nearly a half-century of experience providing retirement plans, employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through independent distributors nationwide. The company has more than $20 billion in assets
2 and is owned by an investor group led by White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. For more information, visit Symetra Financial's Web site at www.symetra.com.
About the Montana Nonprofit Association
Founded in 2001, the Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) is a membership organization that promotes a stronger nonprofit sector, a supportive public climate, and the ability of nonprofits to accomplish their missions. Representing the richness and diversity of Montana’s nonprofits, MNA’s members address a broad array of missions, come from all four corners of the state, and range in size from the largest organizations to the smallest unstaffed nonprofits. MNA achieves its mission through research, education, training, public policy and advocacy, access to affordable goods and services, and special projects. www.mtnonprofit.org.
Select Benefits is insured by Symetra Life Insurance Company.
777 108th Ave NE, Suite 1200
Bellevue, WA 98004-5135
1 Source: Bureau of Business and Economic Research, The University of Montana-Missoula, "The Uninsured: Montana’s Health Insurance Coverage Rates Are Among the Worst in the Nation," Montana Business Quarterly, Winter 2003.
2 Source: Total GAAP assets per closing statements of December 31, 2004
Symetra® and the Symetra Financial logo are registered service marks of Symetra Life Insurance Company, 777 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue, WA 98004.
