Employee Benefit Services - Frequently Asked Questions
How can a company obtain health insurance through the Manufacturer & Business Association?
In order to obtain insurance through the Manufacturer & Business Association, a company must be a member of the Association and have at least two full-time employees.
How soon after membership approval can the insurance become effective?
Insurance can become effective the first day of the second month following membership approval. (e.g., December membership could result in a February 1 effective date.) These dates are dependent upon the event that the insurance carrier receives all enrollment information at least 31 days prior to the effective date.
Which insurance carriers are partnered with the Manufacturer & Business Association?
To date, the Manufacturer & Business Association offers group health insurance underwritten by the following insurance carriers: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, HealthAmerica, UPMC and Health Plan. Ancillary products such as life, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability and dental insurance are available and are underwritten by Aetna Life Insurance and Delta Dental.
Can a company be a member of the Manufacturer & Business Association and not participate in the insurance plan?
Yes. Even if a member company subscribes to the insurance through the Manufacturer & Business Association and decides to no longer participate with the insurance plan, that company's membership will remain unaffected. However, to take advantage of the insurance plans, a company must retain its membership.
What type of health insurance plans are available through the Manufacturer & Business Association?
The Manufacturer & Business Association offers a wide variety of plans for health insurance. These plans range from a very restrictive HMO-type plan to nonrestrictive indemnity plans. Click the link to see more information about plans offered by these carriers.
- Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
- UPMC Health Plan
- HealthAmerica HealthAssurance Coventry Health Plans
Does participation in the insurance plan require that a company participate in all insurance programs offered?
A member company may choose to participate in one or all types of insurance plans. For instance, a member company can subscribe to health insurance alone or in conjunction with any ancillary products through Aetna (life, AD&D, short-term disability) or DeltaDental (dental). In the same respect, any Aetna or Delta Dental coverages can also be subscribed to alone (consistent with participation requirements) or in conjunction with each other. Health insurance plans can exist as a dual option (consistent with underwriting) within the confines of one carrier. Two different Highmark plans can exist as dual options with each other within one company (consistent with underwriting) however, UPMC and Highmark for example cannot coexist within one company.