6700 Beta Drive, Suite 300
  Mayfield Village, OH 44143
  Phone: 440/684-9700 | Fax: 440/684-9760
  www.ercnet.org | www.northcoast99.org | www.erchealth.com

Contact: Pat Perry, President, pperry@ercnet.org

Press Release
Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Majority of ERC Health Clients Receive Single-Digit Rate Adjustments or Better for Third Consecutive Year
Innovative On-Site Health Coaching Service Added

Cleveland– ERC is pleased to announce the ERC Health program premium rate renewals effective July 1, 2008. For the fourth year in a row, many of the ERC Health participating organizations received no rate increase. Highlights of the rate renewals are as follows:

• For the last three years, 75% of the ERC Health Pool of participating organizations received single-digit rate adjustments or better. 

• This is the eighth consecutive year that the aggregate group risks of the ERC Health Pool have trended lower, resulting in average rate renewals that are significantly beating market average.

• The ERC Health Pool has a retention rate of 90% since inception in 1999.

In addition to the 2008 rate renewals, the innovative insurance program for mid-sized organizations is proud to announce a new health management service for participating groups. ERC Health will now offer on-site health coaching to assist in educating, supporting, and enhancing the program for organizations and their employees. This personalized service will assist participating groups with improving the effectiveness of the health and wellness initiatives, as well as providing health and workplace risk evaluations for the organization.

ERC Health for organizations with 51 or more benefit eligible employees is underwritten by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. These rate renewals are effective July 1 – the common renewal date for ERC Health companies.

“We are delighted to share this news with our ERC Health companies,” comments Pat Perry, President of ERC. “This program is quickly becoming a national model of how to do it right. ERC Health really works, through the dedication of our partners and of course the ERC Health organizations. The focus has been on reducing claims through health education, risk reduction, wellness and proper plan designs. It is truly coming together and we believe over the next few years, we will be delivering even better news and additional enhancements to the program.”

ERC is Northeast Ohio’s largest organization dedicated to HR and workplace programs, practices, training and consulting. The organization also hosts NorthCoast 99 and sponsors the ERC Health insurance program. For more information about ERC, check out www.ercnet.org.

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