The American Rental Association (ARA) launched the ARA Healthcare Solution — a new, customized health coverage option for members — on May 1. The program, a partnership with Allstate Benefits and Hub International, delivers quality, affordable health coverage that complies with the Affordable Care Act.
“We were extremely excited to have the buying power of the association for this program; we knew that was going to really help with the rates,” says Ian Goff, CERP, general manager, Goff Tents & Events, Nicholasville, Ky. “Health care is a necessity, but rising costs have made it cost prohibitive for a lot of our employees, especially for family plans. The cost has been astronomical, going up 20 to 30 percent per year, and we were expecting another 20 percent hike on it this year. To see that be cut by almost $300 a month for a family plan [through the ARA program] is a significant savings to our company and our employees. It really enticed a lot of our people to take advantage of it.”
ARA members like Goff Tents & Events that participate in the ARA Healthcare Solution receive:
- Customizable plan designs making it easy to choose a plan that fits the needs of your business and employees.
- Level-funding — offering you one predictable monthly payment.
- An opportunity to receive money back in years when claims are lower than expected.
- An experienced team of people who are always ready to provide expertise before, during and after you’ve chosen your plan.
“We had never offered health care, so we were overwhelmed with the options,” says Travis Yarbrough, general manager, Lone Star Rental, Andrews, Texas. “When we first heard that ARA would be offering health care, we were ecstatic.”
Yarbrough adds that requesting a quote was easy and the plan administrator’s response time was swift. “The process was smooth and any questions that I had were answered quickly. We turned in our information on a Friday and had a quote and a teleconference the following Monday,” he says.
“I like the fact that we were able to do most of it online, so the employees could come in, sit down in the office, complete it in about five to 10 minutes and it was all sent off,” Goff says. “Our contact let us know the next steps and shot over the quote, and it was a significant decrease from what we were paying. More and more employees got interested and got in, and it just kept going. We kept growing the numbers and kept seeing the rates go down. It was simple.”
In an environment where attracting skilled talent remains a challenge, the ability to offer a robust, affordable health plan is critical. Those who have investigated the new ARA Healthcare Solution say the program can help keep equipment and event rental companies competitive in the workforce recruitment arena.
“When we’re looking to hire and retain top talent, benefits are a key piece to that. It’s important that we have a package available that stands toe to toe with any other industry,” Goff says.
To learn more about the ARA Healthcare Solution and to request a quote, visit ARAhealth.org or call 833-966-4137.