La. DOI to Co-sponsor ‘Health Care Options for Small Business’ Seminar

The Department of Insurance Louisiana Health Care Commission will co-sponsor a free health insurance seminar for small business owners on April 25, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation Conference Center at 402 N. Fourth Street in Baton Rouge, La.

The Health Care Options for Small Business Seminar will inform small business owners of a range of affordable health insurance options for their employees.

The seminar is the major event planned for “Cover the Uninsured Week,” April 23 to 29. Now in its fifth year, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Cover the Uninsured campaign is the largest mobilization in history to shine a national spotlight on the need to secure health coverage for all Americans. Closer to home, nearly 20 percent of adult Louisianians live without health insurance, many of them employed full-time.

“The plight of the uninsured in Louisiana continues to be an urgent issue as many of our citizens remain unemployed and displaced as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Those without health insurance are more likely to be in poorer health than those who do have insurance,” said Jim Donelon, Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance, which is co-sponsoring the seminar with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana . “Small businesses were leaders in Louisiana’s economy in 2003 with an estimated 333,600 small businesses producing $10.5 billion. We are taking this opportunity to educate the small business owners of the various options available to them for offering health insurance to their employees.”

The April 25 seminar will feature panel discussions on insurance basics, consumer-directed health care, health savings accounts, how to work with a broker and other topics. Attendees will receive a useful guide on insurance options and also will be able to pick up information provided by several major group health insurance carriers. A continental breakfast will be provided.

Any small business owner in the greater Baton Rouge area is encouraged to attend, but attendance is limited by space. Those interested should visit the Louisiana Department of Insurance web site at www.ldi.state.la.us to register. Those with questions may e-mail Karen Krumholt at kkrumholt@ldi.state.la.us or call 225-219-9343.

According to the most recent figures available from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 46 million Americans — including more than 8 million children — have no health coverage. The Institute of Medicine estimates that nearly 50 people die each day because they are uninsured and cannot get the medical care they need.

Source: La. Department of Insurance