CleanTech Alliance Expands Health Trust Membership with New Agreement with RCAW

By Rachelle Ames, RCAW.

The agreement allows RCAW members access to CleanTech Alliance Health Trust, an Omnitrade healthcare program.

"The bottom line is the bottom line,” stated Tom Ranken, President and CEO of CleanTech Alliance. Ranken was referring to the recent agreement between the CleanTech Alliance and the Roofing Contractors Association of Washington (RCAW). The agreement calls for a reciprocal relationship between the two organizations allowing RCAW members access to CleanTech Alliance Health Trust, an Omnitrade healthcare program. Both Sefton Oxford and Tracey Prociw of the RCAW acknowledged Ranken’s “bottom-line” remark with a smile knowing that CleanTech Alliance’s Omnitrade program can save employers 15% off the cost of medical, dental and vision coverage.

Backed by Premera Blue Cross and Advanced Professionals Insurance & Benefit Solutions, the CleanTech Alliance Health Trust sponsors the insurance program that delivers affordable healthcare to over 100 companies and thousands of  their employees. It provides big company benefits for small to mid-size companies starting with just two employees. As Oxford noted, “The challenge is for small companies in particular. Every dollar matters and being able to offer affordable coverage to our members is key to RCAW’s Membership Advantage program.”

Foremost in the field of association or trust sponsored health plans is Seattle-based Advanced Professionals Insurance & Benefit Solutions. They are the creator and steward of CleanTech insurance program which they refer to as Omnitrade. The Omnitrade program features medical plans insured by Premera Blue Cross, dental coverage with Delta Dental, vision benefits insured by VSP, and life insurance with UNUM. By bringing together hundreds of small to medium size employers they enjoy tremendous purchasing power – hence, the substantial savings that employers enjoy.

But does it make sense for a roofing association to partner with the CleanTech Alliance? After all, don’t people think of windmills and solar panels when they think of clean technology? The truth, however, is that the roofing industry is in many ways, at the forefront of the green movement with the use of recycled materials, eco-friendly “cool” roofs and construction processes that reduce carbon emissions and pollution.

Nathan Edmonson, Vice President and Sales Manager of Advanced Professionals & Benefit Solutions, noted “The synergy of the two organizations made for a natural fit. We’re very excited to have the RCAW part of the Omnitrade employee benefits program. They’re a perfect fit for our Trust!”

The benefit to RCAW members goes beyond saving money. Prociw noted that, “Many millennials are enamored with the idea of going to college and don’t consider the advantages of a vocational education. Roofing contractors are faced with a shortage of good labor. However, by offering quality health care to their employees, roofing contractors can better compete for talent.”

Another advantage of the Omnitrade benefits program is administrative ease. The complexity of health insurance and ongoing administration of the coverage melts away when there is just a single enrollment form and one bill for multiple coverages. As Sefton stated, “Right away we saw the administrative simplicity of Omnitrade. Look, our members are busy managing their day-to-day business. They know roofing and adding a health care program can be overwhelming. We needed something simple… plug and play. That’s what Omnitrade gives us.”

Asked about what would define success for the RCAW’s health benefits program, the group uniformly agreed that they would hope to see growth in membership – particularly in Eastern Washington. They acknowledged that membership growth is key because it would prove the value of RCAW’s Advantage program. However, more than mere numbers, it’s member satisfaction that is paramount. To that end, member feedback will be critical to really knowing the success of the program.

This post was modified from a piece from Steve Roberts, an Account Executive with Conover Insurance, one of the approved insurance brokerage firms for the CleanTech Alliance Health Trust. For a free quote or more information about the Omnitrade program for the RCAW he can be reached at 425-777-4646 or stever@conoverinsurance.com.

Find out more about the CleanTech Alliance Health Trust and view the full list of insurance brokerage firms.

Original article source: RCAW