Access Health offers excellent, complete health coverage for the working un-insured of Muskegon and Northern Ottawa Counties - all for a fraction of the cost of traditional health insurace programs. We can do this by partnering with local health care providers, businesses, health care resources to provide a comprehensive program.

The best part, your low monthly cost of coverage and health care services stay right here in your community; strengthening our local economy. Access Health also provides a framework that encourages preventative care, health education and empowerment by offering a discount on the cost of coverage if you and enrolled family members meet with a health coach and attend a few, short, no-cost health and wellness courses to improve your current health. Learn more.

Access Health can only be offered through your employer, so feel free to send an anonymous tip to your boss by clicking here. For a business to participate in the Access Health program, it must meet all of the following criteria both at the time of application and, except as specified otherwise below, throughout the entire period of its participation:

Business/Employer Eligibility Criteria

• The business must operate on a full-time basis. Businesses operating as a hobby or seasonally are not eligible.

• The business must be located in Muskegon or Northern Ottawa County Michigan.

• Must have one or more W-2 employees who are not owners of the business or family members of the owners.

• The median wage of all eligible employees at the date of application must meet the current wage qualifier established by Access Health. As of January 1, 2008, the median wage is $12.00 per hour, but this may change without notice.

• The business must offer coverage to all uninsured permanent employees who work and are paid for an average of 15.5 hours or more per week for the most recent 13 calendar weeks. For purposes of employer and employee eligibility, “permanent employees” are those whose paid employment the employer does not reasonably anticipate terminating or reducing to less than 15.5 hours per week either at the end of any season or upon completion of a specific project. For purposes of this test, up to 91 days of medical leave are eligible to be counted toward meeting the permanent employee test, if the medical conditions for the medical leave are documented by the business and subject to medical review by Access Health, Inc.

• The business does not offer health coverage to its "designated employee group" at the time of application and did not offer it to that designated employee group during the 12 months preceding the date of application. Full-time and part-time employees are considered separate designated employee groups for this test.

• If optional dependent coverage is offered, it must be offered to all uninsured dependents of all members of the designated employee group.

• The employer must pay at least 50% of the monthly cost of the Access Health program, including dependents if coverage is extended to dependents.

• The employer must execute the Access Health, Inc. Employer Contract and comply with its terms.

• The employer must notify Access Health immediately upon discovering that the employer fails to meet any of the employer eligibility criteria or that any employee fails to meet any of the employee eligibility criteria.

• Access Health may formally review a business’s eligibility for continued program participation at least annually and may terminate a business’ participation at any time that it fails to meet any of the employer eligibility criteria.

Businesses may contact Scott Blease at 231-728-5180 x105 or s.blease@access-health.org for a business application or to request more information about business eligibility.

Employee Eligibility Criteria

For an individual employee to be eligible to participate in the Access Health program, he or she must meet all of the following criteria both at the time of his/her application and, except as specified otherwise below, throughout the entire period of his/her participation:

• Be an active, bona fide, paid Permanent Employee (as defined above), to whom the employer issues a W-2, and not an independent contractor, temporary worker, seasonal or retiree.

• Have been continuously and actively employed as a permanent employee for at least 13 weeks before the effective date of his/her application for the Access Health plan. Any other paid or unpaid leave or time off, other than a scheduled, paid vacation of not more than 14 calendar days, is not included when calculating the 13-week employment period.

• Is not eligible to participate in, either directly or as a dependent, or to otherwise receive health benefits under, any type of federal, state or business-sponsored ongoing health insurance, health benefit plan or program of health benefits, including but not limited to Medicare, Medicaid, Healthy Kids/MIChild, Veterans Benefits, Indian Health Services or any ongoing employer or association sponsored health benefit program.

• Members may not cancel coverage to enroll on the Access Health Plan.

• Access Health may formally review an employee’s eligibility for continued program participation at least annually and may terminate the employee’s participation at any time that he/she fails to meet any of the employer eligibility criteria.

• The employee must notify Access Health immediately upon discovering that he/she fails to meet any of the employee eligibility criteria.

Employees may contact Yvonne Bullinger at 231-728-5180 x103 or y.bullinger@access-health.org for a member application or to request more information about member eligibility.

Special Circumstances

• Preganancy is only a covered benefit on the Access Health plan if the member is not eligible for Medicaid. To be screened for Medicaid, members may apply online or call The Muskegon Community Health Project (MCHP) at 231-728-3201. Members should contact Member Services and their employer with the determination.

• If the employer elects to provide dependent coverage, children may enroll if they do not qualify for MiChild, Healthy Kids or any other health coverage. To screen for MiChild and Healthy Kids you may contact MCHP at 231-728-3201 or apply online. The MIChild/Healthy Kids Online Application (eAPP) is now available. Families can apply online for MIChild, Healthy Kids, MOMS, Plan First! and get an immediate decision within about 30 minutes. The URL is healthcare4mi.com. People who have questions or need help with the application can call between the hours of 8 am and 7 pm Monday through Friday, as follows:MIChild/Healthy Kids at 1-888-988-6300 and TTY 1-888-263-5897 for persons with hearing and speech disabilities

• Medicare eligible members are not eligible for Access Health; this includes Medicare for a disability or upon turning age 65.

• If a subscriber (the employee) becomes ineligible for Access Health for any reason, the enrolled dependents are no longer eligible.