If you’re a Business Owner, CFO, or HR Professional that views your employees as assets and investments…
PETERSBURG, VA – Crater Community Hospice began 27 years ago as a volunteer organization focused on easing the burdens that come at the end of life. Today, the agency has grown into a sustainable business that still puts life and the community at the center of its mission – especially when it comes to its employees’ wellbeing.
With 45 employees, the majority of whom receive healthcare benefits, Crater sees providing healthcare as an important part of its mission to serve not only its patients but its community as a whole.
“We’re proud about being connected to the community,” said Crater CEO Zach Holt. “We focus in on supporting the community hence the reason we’re using MillenGroup (a Richmond, VA, based business) for our benefits. We like being able to support a local business in the community.”
Making sure employees have healthcare benefits that are meaningful and cost-effective for both the employee and the organization is key, Holt said. Finding that combination of the right benefits specific to Crater employees’ needs at the right price can be a time-consuming process. Finding a local business to support Crater and its healthcare benefits program is a bonus.
For the past two years, MillenGroup has researched the best benefits plan options for Crater Community Hospice as well as provided employee education and benefits support throughout the year.
“We’re a small business and we have a lot of work to do and honestly, I’m grateful I don’t have to do all that research. MillenGroup does that for me,” Holt said.
“For me, I’ve appreciated they’ve made it very easy for us to develop a benefits package. The fact that MillenGroup is local means they not only know the ins and outs of benefits but also providers and facilities in the local area, adding a greater depth and breadth to the assistance they can provide Crater employees when they have benefits questions.”
Benefits make up approximately 15% of Holt’s budget, therefore, finding the right package is not only important to keeping his employees healthy and happy but also for the bottom line.
“Watching costs is extremely important for us,” Holt said. “But I look to find the value in what we’re getting. Even if it costs us more, we want to make sure we’re protecting our employees and our employees’ families.”
Holt said that has been particularly important over the past two years when his employees were on the front lines during the pandemic. Crater did not require its employees to take personal time off to cover COVID-related illness because they are at high risk with regard to their jobs. It was important that its benefits package reflected not only employee needs, but their unique role in the healthcare community.
This year in particular, MillenGroup helped Holt review its prescription drug costs to make sure its overall spend made sense and was not adversely impacting the costs.
In addition, secondary insurance was added to the Crater plan to cover care and services that were not covered by primary insurance. Holt called the secondary insurance an “unexpected benefit” for his employees as well as the education MillenGroup provides to help employees understand their benefits and how to make the most of them.
“Overall, we have a good plan and we’ve maintained what we were paying even with the rising costs of healthcare,” Holt said.
“I believe wholeheartedly that what we do at MillenGroup with our out-of-the box thinking is putting customers first and create win-win scenarios with employers and their employees to get better benefits and better service,” said Debra Willis, MillenGroup Business Development Manager, who has known Holt for many years.
“I think when people start talking about insurance and benefits there is a veil that goes up. The fact that so many workers don’t understand their insurance coverage and employers remain fearful of the cost of providing good coverage ignites a fire us to change that for the better. “
“We especially feel passionate about helping employers in our own community and especially about helping our front-line workers.”
“Hospice is challenging and difficult work, Crater Community Hospice is the best and where I would go for my family,” Willis said. “It is an honor for the MillenGroup to do our part in providing quality healthcare for Crater Community Hospice.”
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