Health Insurance by the Hour?

REDMOND, Wash. – A new program by Safeco Life Insurance Company may help credit unions here dangle health insurance as an incentive to lure or retain part-time staffers. Designed for companies with at least 51 full-time employees that employ predominately part-time, hourly, seasonal or temporary employees, the Select Benefits Indemnity Plan is a group supplemental life and health insurance product. According to Safeco it is not intended to replace major medical coverage, but rather to help companies offer health insurance to employees who typically have not had health coverage before. In addition to monthly premium plans, employers can choose hourly plans where the premiums and benefits are based on the actual number of hours worked by the employee. Safeco performs all the administration, claims and customer service at no additional cost to the employer. The average monthly premium can range from $70 to $130 per employee. Benefits paid for a doctor's office visit range from $10 to $70 per visit with a calendar year maximum of $300 to $500 per person. Co-pays for prescription drugs range from $5 to $30 with varying per-person and per-family calendar year maximums. Other options include preventative care, emergency room, vision and dental benefits.