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An innovative public-private partnership led by the UCF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), located in the College of Business Administration, will help Floridians secure more affordable health insurance through the small businesses that employ them.<\/p>\n
On a small scale, the initiative can accomplish President Barack Obama’s push for more affordable and accessible health insurance for small businesses\u2014while still providing that coverage through private insurers.<\/p>\n
Eventually, we hope to offer the program statewide and as a national model.<\/p>\n
The newly created Florida Small Business Resources Association (FSBRA) will connect area small businesses with discounted insurance and management services through a membership group, which can negotiate improved coverage and lower premiums.<\/p>\n
So far, big-name companies Blue Cross Blue Shield, Insurance Office of America (IOA) and FrankCrum have signed on to help the new group\u2014likely the first of its kind in the Southeast.<\/p>\n
Because small businesses have so much trouble finding and buying insurance on their own, \u201cthis program provides us the scale that will give small businesses a voice with insurance companies,\u201d said\u00a0Richard Quinn<\/strong>, a CBA management instructor who helped develop the association.<\/p>\n Quinn expects the UCF-based association to help small businesses owners and employees save up to 20 percent on rates. Those savings will benefit the largest segment of Floridians who don’t have health insurance.<\/p>\n Of the nearly 4 million Floridians who are uninsured, more than 50 percent are either employees or dependents of employees who work at small businesses. Central Florida, Quinn says, is the small business capital of the state. October is Florida Small Business Month.<\/p>\n