Shared Services
Offered by the Alaska Municipal League
Our goal is to help strengthen local governments who may not otherwise have access to or capacity for these services independently. Let us work with you to take the pressure off of your budgets and bring peace of mind to your staff and municipal officials.
Alaska Municipal Health Trust
In order to meet the needs of AML members and plan beneficiaries, AML has developed the Alaska Municipal Health Trust (AMHT). The Trust was founded in 2020 to ensure that members have a seat at the table in determin-ing how local governments in Alaska can benefit best from this opportunity. The Trust’s structure provides for the necessary governance and fiduciary responsibilities, to be taken up by and delivered by members. As part of this process, in signing up to join the plan, local governments also enter into a co-sponsorship agreement with the Trust, thereby becoming members of the Trust. From that membership, Trustees may be elected. These Trustees – you, if you choose to participate – will determine the future of the plan, and ways in which we can work together to address costs and benefits. The Premera plans are self-funded with stop-loss insurance through LifeWise Assurance Company to protect the Trust in the event of large claims.
This arrangement doesn’t come with additional or onerous obligations as a co-sponsor – it simply means you are fully apprised of changes, improvements, etc., and that you get to contribute input along the way. It’s an innovative arrangement that recognizes local control by working together to meet the needs of public entities of the State.
Eligibility
- Be an AML member in good standing
- Be an employee of or an elected/appointed official of a member Municipality
- Employ more than two 2+ eligible employees
- Groups of 2-4 enrolled employees: 100% of eligible employees and dependents must participate.
- Groups 5+: minimum of 75% participation of eligible employees and 25% of dependents must participate.
Benefits
- All plans are fully ACA compliant (expanded preventive care, children covered up to age 26, no exclusions based on pre-existing conditions or waiting period for pre-ex, etc.)
- Four (4) traditional medical plans and two (2) high deductible health (HDHP) plans that may be paired with a health savings account (HSA).
- The Tongass Plan with a PPO (in-network) deductible of $0 and an out-of-pocket Maximum of $1,500 individual/$3,000 family is here!
- Dual plan offerings available to groups with 11 or more total enrolled per group (maximum of $3,500 deductible spread)
- Alaska medical transportation benefits (Medical Access Transportation and Elective Procedure Travel) – Medical Transportation Benefits Brochure
- Comprehensive prescription drug coverage
- Vision coverage is included in all medical plans
- Two (2) dental plans options available to all groups
- Access to Premera’s robust virtual care options for general medical, mental health, and substance abuse/chemical dependency on-demand via phone, online video, or mobile app., cost shares waived on some plans
- Nationwide network of providers – A Designated Center of excellence in Seattle
- Medicare is the secondary payer on all AMHT plans for individuals enrolled in Medicare
- No requirement to designate a Primary Care Provider
- Deductible waived for basic diagnostic x-ray and labs on some plans
- Potential for surplus funds to stabilize plan costs in future years
- ID Theft Monitoring Services included for all enrolled members
- Ability to provide coverage to elected or appointed officials
AML has partnered with RISQ consulting and Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska to create more access to affordable health coverage for AML members. The AMHT will allow members to provide a flexible and attractive health plan for its employees and elected officials within their budget and with providers they trust. For more information and qualifications for the AMHT, please visit AKML.org.
ABOUT PREMERA BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ALASKA
As the largest health plan in the Pacific Northwest, Premera provides comprehensive health plans to employers headquartered in Alaska and Washington. Their health plans include innovative programs focused on wellness and prevention, disease management, and patient safety. Premera delivers these programs through health, life, vision, dental, stoploss, disability, workforce wellness, and other related products and services.
ABOUT RISQ CONSULTING
RISQ Consulting is the General Agent whose main function is the ongoing strategic consultation with the Alaska Municipal League and the Alaska Municipal Health Trust. RISQ Consulting is an independent firm and provides a wide variety of supportive ser-vices, including plan installations, providing quotes, technology implementation, and answering general inquiries and questions.
LOCAL BROKERS
There are a number of brokers available to advise on the best plans for their clients and help navigate the AMHT based on organizational and employee needs.
For more information, please contact Nils Andreassen at (907)790-5305 or nils@akml.org.