About the Program

About
Governing Board
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Insure Montana is a joint initiative of Governor Brian Schweitzer and State Auditor John Morrison that is administered by the State Auditor’s Office.  This is a two part program that is designed to assist small businesses with the cost of health insurance, whether they have provided health insurance previously or not.

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

For businesses that were previously unable to afford health insurance for their employees, Insure Montana provides health insurance coverage through a small business purchasing pool.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana has created two unique health insurance programs to choose from.  Employers and employees that are members of the purchasing pool will receive payments from Insure Montana each month to assist with the cost of coverage.

This initiative began in 2005 and already many businesses have applied for membership.

This webpage provides information to businesses interested in learning more about Insure Montana, as well as the opportunity to submit an application form to Insure Montana staff.  Frequent updates will also be available to businesses that are currently enrolled, businesses that have submitted an application form, and for producers involved with selling Insure Montana coverage.

Currently both the tax credit and purchasing pool programs are at full capacity due to limited funding.  Businesses applying for either program are placed on a waiting list at this time.  Additional funding has been requested and will be decided by state legislators at the 2009 legislative session beginning January 2009. 

Meetings

Regular Board meetings are scheduled for December 2, 2008, May 5, 2009, March 3, 2009 and August 11, 2009 time and place to be announced

Minutes from Purchasing Pool Board Meetings

Governing Board  
Small Business Purchasing Pool Board of Directors  

Connie Welsh, Helena: Appointed by Schweitzer - Welsh is the Administrator of the Health Care Benefits Division of the Department of Administration. She served as an Executive Budget Analyst in the Governor’s Office of Budget and Program Planning prior to her position at the Department of Administration.  Welsh received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees both from Montana State University. She fulfills the qualification as a management level individual with knowledge of state employee health benefit plans.

Gail Briese-Zimmer, Helena: Appointed by Schweitzer - Briese-Zimmer is the Financial Services Bureau Administrator for the 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. Briese-Zimmer fulfills the qualification of management level individual with knowledge of Medicaid services.

Bob Marsenich, Polson: Appointed by Schweitzer - 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 representing the public interest.

Betty Beverly, Helena:  Appointed by Schweitzer - Beverly fulfills the qualification of a consumer representing the public interest.  Betty is the Executive Director of Montana Senior Citizens Assn., Inc. a non-profit non-partisan grassroots organization of Montanans.  Betty is also 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.

Jim Edwards, Helena: Appointed by Morrison - 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 possessing insurance expertise.

David B. Kendall – Appointed by Morrison - 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).   Kendall fulfills the qualification of a consumer representing the public interest.

Erin McGowan Fincham , Helena :  Appointed by Morrison - Ms. McGowan Fincham has recently joined the lobbying and consulting firm of Smith and McGowan, Inc., where she will focus on association management and government affairs in the fields of public health, health care access, and local government. Erin has spent her professional career in the rewarding arenas of tobacco control advocacy and health policy aimed at reducing the number of Montanans without health insurance.  She fulfills the qualification of consumer representing the small business community.

Anna Whiting Sorrell from the Governor’s Office and Jan VanRiper from the State Auditor’s Office will serve as the staff appointments to the board.