BenefitMall has been chosen as the administrator for the small business health insurance program offered through Maryland Health Connection, the state-run marketplace for health insurance.
The announcement was made by the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange.
The online health insurance exchange was created under requirements from the Affordable Care Act.
BenefitMall was selected to administer Maryland’s Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) through a competitive procurement process.
BenefitMall will be responsible for reviewing applications, determining eligibility and other aspects of the program.
For Maryland businesses with 50 or fewer employees, SHOP provides management of health insurance and benefits programs. As of June 1, 2016, a total of 119 small businesses were using SHOP to cover more than 1,000 individuals. Of those businesses, 83% have fewer than 10 employees and 12% have fewer than 20 employees.
“The program helps employers recruit and retain skilled workers in a competitive environment,” said Carolyn Quattrocki, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. “Employers also can take advantage of free expert advice, greater coverage options for their employees and simplicity in paying for premiums.”
BenefitMall is a national provider of employee benefits, payroll, human resources and employer services to more than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses. It also operates HealthCareExchange.com, an online resource about the Affordable Care Act.
“BenefitMall is extremely excited about the opportunity to partner with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange and to support small businesses in obtaining quality health care coverage for their employees,” said Fran Guillott, regional vice president of BenefitMall. “With more than 35 years of industry experience in successfully supporting brokers and small businesses in the procurement of health benefits, we know that we will be a valuable contributor to the SHOP experience.”
