ABOUT RAMHIC

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts Health Insurance Cooperative (RAMHIC) is the Association’s program designed to reduce health insurance costs for its small business members. Authorized by state law, RAMHIC utilizes the increased purchasing power of the RAM membership to negotiate with health insurance carriers to obtain and offer discounted health insurance coverage. The 2017 discount for all plans purchased through RAMHIC is set at 1%. RAMHIC also assists members and their employees to reduce overall health care costs through comprehensive wellness programming designed to create a healthier and more educated consumer of health care.

Member testimonials

Eligibility

As a small business group purchasing cooperative regulated by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, RAMHIC has established rules which reflect both the governing law, and our vision for success. To join and retain membership in RAMHIC the following criteria must be met:

• You must be an employer within the retail, restaurant or wholesale sectors of the retail industry,
• You must be a member of one of RAMHIC's approved trade associations (currently Retailers Association of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Package Store Association or National Retail Lumber Association),
• Your workforce must consist of 50 or fewer eligible employees.  Please note that this threshold does not necessarily refer to your total number of employees but rather your eligible employees only. Eligible employees are those who work 30 or more hours per week and who have been hired for an intended period of not less than five months.
• You must promote the RAMHIC wellness program to your employees and their families and agree that 50% of the individuals covered by RAMHIC will participate in the wellness program. (Failure to maintain a participation rate of 50% may result in non-renewal at the next plan year),
• You must sign a RAMHIC membership agreement, which outlines the rules and potential administration and wellness program fees required by RAMHIC,
• You must not have withdrawn from or have been terminated from RAMHIC or another state-certified cooperative in the past 3 years.

Download RAMHIC Frequently Asked Questions.

Steps To Apply

1. Contact Carriers or have your broker request a quote

Fallon Health

• To request a quote from Fallon Health, call you broker or Fallon Health sales at 866-906-0099.
• Plan Options available through Fallon Health
• Plan Benefit Summaries by Network

Plan Option - Network

QHD 2000 HSA - Direct Care | Select Care | Preferred Care
Coinsurance 35% - Direct Care | Select Care
Deductible 2000 Hybrid - Direct Care | Select Care 
Deductible 1200 Hybrid - Direct Care | Select Care
Deductible 1500 Classic - Direct Care | Select Care 
Copay 1000 Hybrid - Direct Care | Select Care

• Click here for additional information on Fallon Health

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

• To request a quote from BCBSMA please call your broker, existing BCBSMA representative, 800-262-Blue (2583).
• Plan Options and Plan Benefit Summaries, can be found on the RAMHIC/BCBSMA microsite.

2. Fill out the RAMHIC membership enrollment forms

• RAMHIC Agreement -- to be completed by all applicants.
• Qualified Association Membership Verification Form -- to be completed by current RAM or MassPack members.
• Join RAM online  -- to be completed by businesses new to the Association.
• Membership in RAM is generally limited to businesses within the Retail Trade or Wholesale Trade SIC codes (5000-5999). Certain businesses with Service sector SIC codes, that have a retail component to their business, are eligible to participate. Click here for a list of outlier codes that RAM already accepts.

Please note all documents must be completed and submitted back to RAM via email at info@retailersma.org, by fax: 617-523-4321 or standard mail to 18 Tremont Street, Suite 810, Boston, MA 02108.

Wellness Participation

Businesses enrolled in RAMHIC are required to maintain a wellness participation rate of 50% of their covered employees.  Covered employees shall satisfy this requirement by participating in the wellness program offered as part of their health plan by their selected insurance carrier—My Healthy Health Plan for Fallon Health and Healthy Actions for Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA.

Specific program participation requirements may be found in section 9 of the RAMHIC member agreement.

• Instructional flyer for employee registration in FH's My Healthy Health Plan.
• Instructional flyer for employee registeration in BCBSMA's Healthy Actions.

Additional Savings through Healthy Actions

For BCBSMA members, Healthy Actions offers covered employees significant financial incentives for participating in the program thus making it easier for businesses to meet RAMHIC’s wellness participation requirement. In addition, Healthy Actions also provides businesses the opportunity to earn additional year end savings (up to 7.5%) based on the percentage of covered employees participating in wellness. Click here to learn more.

ANCILLARY PRODUCTS

• USAble Hospital Care Plan -- this supplemental coverage is provided free of charge to all member employees enrolled in a BCBSMA plan offered through RAMHIC.
• Click here for a copy of the Hospital Care Claim Form
• Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance, Accident Insurance and Critical Care Insurance.  To request a quote on these insurance products, please contact Jim Kinney with Digital Insurance at 800-269-8879 or via email at jkinney@digitalinsurance.com.
• Vision Plan.

Become a RAMHIC Certified Broker