Chamber Choice Health Care Program
United HealthCare of Ohio provides Chamber members with ChamberChoice, a new health care delivery system that brings small and medium-sized businesses the extensive and cost-effective coverage traditionally available only to large businesses.

For Chamber members, ChamberChoice means value. With this system, you’ll enjoy the managed care advantages of a paperless system for employees, case management, simple administration, stability of expenses and cost containment.

ChamberChoice also has plenty of advantages for your employees including freedom of choice, preventive care with one low co-payment per visit, no deductibles, no paperwork and the option to see specialists without referrals.

An added benefit of the program includes a 24-hour OPTUM Nurse Line to provide helpful information on just about any medical condition 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

HealthWay
HealthWay is a unique hospital/physician sponsored health care entity designed to meet the needs of Darke County employers. Its mission is to offer point-of-service health care solutions that are community influenced and reflect both local needs and attitudes.

HealthWay is a collaborative effort between Wayne Hospital, the Darke County Association of Physicians and is available through the Darke County Chamber of Commerce and local insurance agencies. Mid-Valley CareNet supports HealthWay by providing the administration, underwriting and claims functions.

HealthWay provides employers and their employees full continuum of care, an emphasis on wellness management, unrestricted choice of providers, on-site medical management, expertise in managed care and other services.

Superior Dental
The Superior Dental Care program offers quality dental coverage at a fraction of the cost. The plan features no waiting periods, no pre-existing conditions or hidden costs, no claim forms and no deductibles. This dental provider group is growing quickly and chances are good that your family dentist is already included. Quality is assured through provision of dentist consultant review claims, predetermination of certain procedures and credentialing of all providers.

Vision Benefits
Medical Benefits’ VisionPlus provides employer groups the best of both worlds in vision coverage. As part of the plan, covered individuals have the freedom to choose any vision care provider and receive standard benefits. In areas where network participation is available, VisionPlus functions as a prepaid vision plan enabling employees to reduce their out-of-pocket expense and avoid the submission of claims. Two benefit plans are available: a program of 2-9 employees and one for 10-50 employees. Basic plans allow an exam, a pair of lenses and a frame every 12 or 24 months, depending on the plan selected.

Cellular Phone Savings
Cingular/TelCom have teamed up to provide Chamber members one of the most competitive cellular telephone rates in the area. Hundreds of employers and individuals have already enrolled in the program. Participating members will receive a cellular telephone and activation at no charge. The program also provides free detailed billing and other Ameritech features.

Verizon Cellular/AFP Communications also provide Chamber members one of the most competitive rates in the area. Participating members receive cellular telephones, activation, detailed billing and other AirTouch features. Rates are available for digital service.

Workers’ Compensation Group Rates
We know you’ve heard a lot of group rating promises. Some turn out to be just wishful thinking. Let the Darke County Chamber of Commerce, together with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, show you a better group rating alternative. The Chamber group rating program saved its members up to 75% on premiums in 1999. Darke County Chamber savings have been among the highest in its industry for four years in a row. If you are not saving this much off your workers’ compensation premiums, let us prepare a free savings estimate to see how much you can save.

If an accident occurs, our group program administrator, The Frank Gates Service Company, aggressively manages your claims and represents you at hearings if necessary. If you never have a claim, Frank Gates works behind the scenes to ensure you don’t pay too much in premiums. Frank Gates also helps group members with safety programs, educational seminars and newsletters.

Joining a group rating program is the only way to ensure that you won’t pay any more than you have to for workers’ compensation. The group rating option allows employers with good safety and claims records to pool together and enjoy discounted premiums.

MedPerks
A MedPerks subscription offers 10% to 60% savings, reducing out-of-pocket costs on a wide range of health-care benefits including dental care, vision care (including Lasik), prescription drugs, chiropractic care, hearing aids, vitamins and nutritional supplements.

MedPerks is not insurance. Subscribers pay at the time of service, but at reduced rates. There are no age limits, no pre-existing condition exclusions, no deductibles, no claim forms, no pre-authorization. Plus, MedPerks comes with a powerful medical assistance service. From anywhere in the world, members can call the Help Desk where a telephone-based triage is conducted by registered nurses who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year who can provide clinical medical assessments, self comfort/treatment measures and referrals to credentialed physicians.

Legislative Education and Advocacy for Darke County (LEAD)
LEAD is a grassroots program designed to give Darke County businesses a stronger voice in government. LEAD is provided in cooperation with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.

LEAD’s efforts will be focused on what is best for the business community in the Miami Valley, in particularly Darke County. Issues tracked at the state level focus on environmental regulations, education, workforce and labor, transportation needs and economic policies.

LEAD is "informed activism." LEAD participants identify the issues that concern them. Then, when an issue which could affect your business and the business climate of Darke County is scheduled, LEAD sends an action alert, giving background on the issue. LEAD participants are asked to make contact with their legislators by fax, telephone or letter giving their position on the legislation. Business leaders, as voters and employers, can have a powerful voice in shaping the outcome of legislation.

Internet Services
The Darke County Chamber of Commerce provides on-line presence for the community through www.darkecountyohio.com, the Chamber’s website. Housed on the web page is information about the Chamber, economic development, tourism opportunities and the on-line Chamber Membership Directory/Buyers’ Guide.

The Chamber has also formed partnerships to assist members in becoming part of e-commerce. Those services/member benefit programs include:

CountyStart.com
CountyStart.com is a community website provided by TDCJ Inc. TDCJ is focused on Internet web site design, hosting and promotion. Major emphasis is placed on utilizing the power of the Internet to assist a company in building and maintaining strong customer relationships.

Members of the Darke County Chamber of Commerce receive a 10% discount on all CountyStart.com services except contest sponsorships. Chamber members receive a free link from darkecountyohio.com to their web site. Chamber members also receive discounts on training sessions, picture taking for web site design and web site consultation services.

ChamberBiz
The Darke County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with ChamberBiz to bring its members state-of-the-art online services and products that help them in their day-to-day operations. Through our web site, www.darkecountyohio.com and ChamberBiz, our members now have access to a host of advice and products to help business run more efficiently, handle human resource issues and aid them in understanding and complying with government regulations.

ChamberBiz, accessed through the link with the Chamber’s home page, gives members access to regulatory assistance, online business services, news and information and trading online. Need regulatory questions answered? An "Ask the Expert" service allows you to e-mail your regulatory question on federal, state or local regulations. Online business service topics include employees, financing, legal, office management, sales and marketing, taxes and money management. ChamberBiz also keeps you up-to-date with the latest top news stories and up-to-the-minute stocks and weather.

Security Firewalls
The Darke County Chamber of Commerce and Computer Network Specialists provides Chamber members with Internet security firewalls, network service and training videos and CDs at discounted fees. Firewalls which keep your information safe and wards of hackers are available for both office and home computer systems.

Chamber Gift Certificates
The Darke County Chamber of Commerce Gift Certificate Program keeps shopping dollars in Darke County and, in particular, within the businesses of participating Chamber members. Started in October 1990, the program has provided $1 million in revenue for our members.

The program is voluntary and easy. Gift certificates are printed in $5, $10 and $25 denominations. Anyone may purchase gift certificates; however, they may only be redeemed by participating Chamber members. Currently over 200 of our members participate in this program. Redeemed certificates are reimbursed for their full face value upon return to the Darke County Chamber of Commerce office.

Each participating Chamber member receives a door/window decal denoting them as a redemption business and other promotional assistance.

Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance
Originally formed as a vehicle to provide low-cost health care for its members, the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA) consortium has grown from six to 80 Chambers’ of Commerce in Southwest Ohio. Within SOCA, steering committee members are working to develop additional member-benefit programs for participating Chambers’ of Commerce.

For additional information on any of the member-benefit programs offered by the Darke County Chamber of Commerce, contact the Chamber at 548-2102.

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