Serving Grocery & Hardware Retailers for More Than 40 Years
In 1979 with the help of United Grocers Insurance, a group of visionary grocers banded together to create a non-profit health trust to better provide employee health insurance benefits. They used a Federally approved 501(c)(9) plan that allows a group of employers who have a common thread join together to pool their experience and funding for health insurance. The common thread was the grocery industry and the sponsor was United Grocers.
The Trust originally obtained licenses to serve Oregon and Washington food industry employers. In 2021 the Trust expanded service to Idaho grocers with the help of PacificSource.
The Trust over the Years
Over the years the Trust has grown steadily.
- Established 1979
- In 2000 Unified Grocers replaced United Grocers as the plan sponsor.
- In 2009 the Associated Grocers plan (Pacific Benefits) opted to join the Trust. Pacific Benefits had incorporated hardware store owners in their plan, so this new category of eligible employers was adopted by the Trust.
- In 2010 the Trust became admitted in Alaska to serve Food and Hardware employers in that region thus expanding the Trusts operational territory.
- In 2011 the team administering the Trust joined Cypress Benefit Administrators to expand their capabilities and better control expenses, while maintaining the same personal touch.
- In 2019, in response to the rapid escalation of medical costs, the Trust opted to partner with PacificSource Health Plans in fully insured relationship to secure the Trust ability to offer a stable and competitive product. This new relationship offered many enhancements of value to members, but also necessitated that the Trust withdraw from the state of Alaska.
See https://www.pacificsource.com/about-us/overview.aspx - In 2019 the Trust Administrator, Cypress Benefits Administration was acquired by Lucent Health.
- In 2021 the Trust expanded services to the state of Idaho.
- In 2023 a Life Insurance benefit for participants and dependents was added at no additional cost to members.
- In 2023 the relationship with Lucent Health for administration was terminated in favor of direct services with PacificSource.
