- ROCKLEIGH, NJ-- Crestron has joined forces with the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) to expand an innovative healthcare program that enables small systems integrators to offer reasonably priced health insurance to their employees. One of the first small business health programs of its kind in the nation, NSCA members with a minimum of five employees can now purchase quality health insurance at rates normally available only to companies with hundreds or thousands of employees.
- NSCA, a non-profit association representing more than 2,500 members in the low-voltage commercial electronics systems industry - including systems contractors/integrators, programmers, manufacturers, specifying engineers and consultants - created the Health Solutions program, a component of SystemsPlus™ Insurance Solutions, to provide a variety of insurance coverage, including Property & Casualty, Surety and Stop Loss. The health insurance program launched in January 2009.
- Although a few other forward-thinking electronics manufacturers and larger regional systems integrators joined the program, it was the enrollment of Crestron, with its 2,500 employees, that enabled the program to reach an important threshold to offer health insurance to smaller firms that often struggle to offer employee benefits.
- “Crestron has enabled small integrators, CE professionals and dealers to buy healthcare at costs as if they were a large organization,” said Chuck Wilson, NSCA executive director. “Our industry can get so inundated with the technology, but set all of that aside for a minute. This is about helping small businesses in America survive and grow. This is about helping people.”
- “We’re very excited to team up with the NSCA to help smaller companies in our industry that perhaps couldn’t do it on their own today, obtain health insurance,” said Randy Klein, Crestron executive vice president. “One of the largest expenses for a small business - and the often first to be cut - is health benefits. This program means more companies staying in business and more people at work, which is good for the economy and good for our industry on all levels.”
- As the program continues to grow, even greater discounts and stabilized rates will allow systems integrators to benefit from this innovative, one-of-a-kind program. Ultimately, the plan contributes to the stability and future growth of the custom electronics/professional AV industry, while giving small business owners and their employees peace of mind.
- “You’d be shocked at the number of companies that can’t afford to offer their employees health insurance,” said Wilson. “It’s hard to run a business today, but we all worked together to see how we could pool our resources to help these smaller companies provide affordable healthcare, and Crestron stepped up with us.”
- With all the unknowns surrounding healthcare reform and many small businesses unable to survive, the SystemPlus program brings stability, cost savings and security to thousands of American small businesses.
- “Healthcare reform is going to bring a series of additional challenges to smaller integration firms,” said Ray Bailey, Lone Star Communications president and Chairman of the SystemsPlus Mutual Insurance Company Board of Directors. “In addition to the ability to purchase insurance as if you were a large company, this program also meets many of the requirements of healthcare reform.”
