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Great Bend Chamber of Commerce announces Blue Cross health plan
Great Bend chamber logo NEW.jpg

The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce announced a new partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) and Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas (CCEKS). This partnership stitches together 30 other local Chambers of Commerce across Kansas to offer an Association Health Plan called Chamber Blue of Kansas.

The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce and all chambers involved in this partnership realize and recognize that recruiting and retaining talent is vital for business and industry of all sizes, especially small businesses. Having access to trusted health insurance benefits is a crucial piece to that success. According to SBA statistics, small businesses equate to over 99.1% of all businesses in Kansas with a combined total of 605,147 small business employees in Kansas.  

An Association Health Plan is a type of group medical insurance for organizations that allows smaller companies to access the health insurance savings associated with large group medical coverage. Through this, small business, non-profits, and organizations can band together to purchase insurance. That allows more people in the pool, which lowers risk across the pool, and provides more health insurance options, potentially with much more competitive premiums. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of KS has the largest provider network in Kansas with 99% of physicians in-network, and 100% of hospitals in network. BCBSKS also provides a robust package of health-care solutions like their HealthyOptions program, which is a powerful set of services, tools, and one-on-one support to live a healthy life at no extra cost as a BCBSKS member.

The partnership will host information sessions and answer questions with the goal of all interested organizations completing an interest survey during August. The initial rates will be determined in September based on groups/businesses that have completed the survey and plans will become effective January 1, 2023.

For more information, interested parties are asked to visit https://www.bcbsks.com/chamberblueks or contact the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce by phone at 620-792-2401 or by email at mbarfield@greatbend.org.