Montana Group Purchasing Arrangements

In 2005, the Small Business Health Care Affordability Act was approved, allowing small businesses (2-9 employees) in Montana to join a purchasing pool to obtain health insurance.  Now called Insure Montana [1], the program provides tax credits to small businesses that are currently offering health insurance and provides premium assistance for small employers that begin to offer insurance through the State Health Insurance Purchasing Pool or a qualified association plan. The program is funded by a tobacco tax.  During the fall of 2006, enrollment in the program was approximately 2200 lives (360 firms).