About the Program

About
Governing Board
  - Meetings/Interested Parties
  - Members  
Application

Newsletter

Insure Montana began in 2005 as an initiative of Insurance Commissioner John Morrison and Governor Brian Schweitzer that is administered by the Insurance Commissioner's Office.  Insure Montana is a two-part program designed to make health insurance affordable to small businesses, regardless of whether they previously offered health insurance. To date, Insure Montana is covering thousands of Montana small business employees.

Small businesses with 2-9 employees that currently provide health insurance to their employees are eligible to apply for refundable tax credits.

Small businesses that were previously unable to afford health insurance for their employees can apply to Insure Montana for health insurance coverage through a small business purchasing pool.  Businesses and employee members of the purchasing pool receive monthly payments from Insure Montana to assist with the cost of coverage.

On this site, businesses can learn more about Insure Montana , as well as take the opportunity to submit an application form to Insure Montana staff.  Frequent updates are also available to businesses that are currently enrolled, businesses that have submitted an application form, and for producers involved with selling Insure Montana coverage.

Meetings

There will be an Insure Montana Advisory Council Meeting Thursday, February 4th, 2010 from 2:00-4:00pm in room 317 of the Capitol.

Regular Board meetings are scheduled for March 9th, May 11th and August 10th, 2010 time and place to be announced.

Interested Parties:  The public is encouraged to participate in the Insure Montana program and meetings.  If you would like to be added to the “interested parties” list, please contact Jill Sark at (406) 444-2406 or Jsark@mt.gov.  You will receive programs updates and electronic notices regarding meeting times and dates.

Minutes from Purchasing Pool Board Meetings

Open Meetings Rules

Governing Board  
Small Business Purchasing Pool Board of Directors  

Connie Welsh, Helena: Appointed by Governor Schweitzer - Ms. Welsh is the Administrator of the Health Care Benefits Division at the Montana Department of Administration. Prior to her current position, she served as an Executive Budget Analyst in the Governor’s Office of Budget and Program Planning.  Ms. Welsh received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Montana State University , Bozeman. She fulfills the qualification as a Management-level Member with Knowledge of state employee health benefit plans.

Gail Briese-Zimmer, Helena : Appointed by Governor Schweitzer - Ms. Briese-Zimmer is the Financial Services Bureau Administrator at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. She has over twenty years of governmental budgeting experience working with the Department of Corrections and Public Health and Human Services. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Carroll College . Ms. Briese-Zimmer fulfills the qualification of Management-level Member with knowledge of Medicaid services.

Bob Marsenich, Polson: Appointed by Governor Schweitzer - Mr. Marsenich is a Consultant for Glacier HR Services, his own business in Polson and serves on the Board of Directors for the Montana Chamber of Commerce. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana. He fulfills the qualification of Consumer Member representing the public interest.

Betty Beverly, Helena:  Appointed by Governor Schweitzer - Ms. Beverly is a certified SHIP counselor and travels the state educating seniors and others about Medicare and Medicaid changes. Betty also raises service dogs for people with disabilities for the past 20 years and is rarely seen without a pup by her side. Ms. Beverly fulfills the qualification of a Consumer Member representing the public interest.

Jim Edwards, Helena : Appointed by Commissioner Morrison - Mr. Edwards is a licensed insurance agent and president of Mountain West Benefit Solutions, a benefits consulting firm advising employers in seven Western states on group medical programs.  He has seventeen years experience in the insurance industry and previously worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield and Western States Insurance Agency.  Edwards fulfills the qualification of the Member with insurance expertise.

David B. Kendall – Appointed by Commissioner Morrison - Mr. Kendall is a health policy analyst best known for crafting a new progressive agenda for health care. At the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) and its affiliate, the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), Mr. Kendall has developed innovative policies for reforming health care financing and delivery. His work has been praised on the editorial page of The New York Times, by national columnists such as Morton Kondracke and James Glassman, and by former Senators Bob Kerrey (D-NE) and John Breaux (D-LA) and Congressman Bill Thomas (R-CA).   Mr. Kendall fulfills the qualification of a Consumer Member representing the public interest.

Erin McGowan Fincham, Helena,: Appointed by Commissioner Morrision- Ms. McGowan Fincham has recently joined the lobbying and consulting firm of Smith and McGowan, Inc., where she focuses on association management and government affairs in the fields of public health, health care access, and local government. She has spent her professional career in the rewarding arenas of tobacco control and health policy aimed at reducing the number of uninsured. Ms. McGowan Fincham fulfills the qualification of Consumer Member representing the small business community.