Apr 9, 2004

ANLA Offers Seasonal Worker Healthcare Assistance PlanSource: ANLA

The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) is now offering a Seasonal Worker Healthcare Assistance Plan for green industry businesses that employ seasonal workers. The plan, with American Planstman and Fundamental Care providers, is designed with cost benefits for both the employee and employer, and it allows the employee to access affordable healthcare assistance.

Employees may choose from three levels of coverage: level one at $3.95 a week, level two at $6.45 a week and level three at $10.45 a week. Each level progressively offers higher monetary coverage and additional benefit options. Availability of options is dependent on the level of coverage selected by the employee.

According to ANLA, employers enjoy the benefits of making this fundamental care available at no cost to the employers. “Employees of ANLA member firms cannot be turned down for coverage and have the freedom to select their own physicians. This is a supplemental medical plan and should not be offered in place of or as a major medical plan.”

This “non-insurance insurance program” provides help with preventative care, hospitalization, accident coverage, vision and prescription discounts, term life/accidental death coverage, dental coverage and more. According to ANLA, benefits for employers include improved recruiting and lower turnover, less absences, better employee relations and simple administration.

The benefit options include :

• Doctor of emergency room benefit: Workers can visit the doctor of their choice and the plan pays the per-visit amount for medical charges due to a covered illness.
• Preventative care office visit: The plan pays for one preventative care doctor visit per year, after the worker has been enrolled in the plan for six months.
• Accident medical benefit: The plan covers 80 percent of covered expenses.
• Hospitalization benefit: The daily benefit amount is for hospitalization due to a covered illness, which must incur a room and board charge.
• Accidental Death Benefit: Should a patient’s death be the result of an accidental injury, the beneficiary will be paid. Term life insurance: This is available in the level two and level three plans, and includes the worker, beneficiary, spouse or child.
• Discount prescription network: The worker receives discounted prescription with average savings of 21 percent and potential savings up to 50 percent.
• Discount physician network: Workers can see any doctor they choose and will receive discounted physician services.

The Seasonal Worker Healthcare Assistance Plan is a low-cost, limited benefit medical plan endorsed by the ANLA for the landscape and nursery workforce. For more information, call ANLA at (202) 789-2900.