Crestron Teams With NSCA To Provide Affordable Health Insurance For Small Business

Crestron today announced that is has joined forces with the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) to expand an innovative healthcare program that enables small systems integrators to offer reasonably priced health insurance to their employees. One of the first small business health programs of its kind in the nation, NSCA members with a minimum of five employees can now purchase quality health insurance at rates normally available only to companies with hundreds or thousands of employees.

NSCA, a non-profit association representing more than 2,500 members in the low-voltage commercial electronics systems industry - including systems contractors/integrators, programmers, manufacturers, specifying engineers and consultants - created the Health Solutions program, a component of SystemsPlus™ Insurance Solutions, to provide a variety of insurance coverage, including Property & Casualty, Surety and Stop Loss. The health insurance program launched in January 2009.

Although a few other forward-thinking electronics manufacturers and larger regional systems integrators joined the program, it was the enrollment of Crestron, with its 2,500 employees, that enabled the program to reach an important threshold to offer health insurance to smaller firms that often struggle to offer employee benefits.

“Crestron has enabled small integrators, CE professionals and dealers to buy healthcare at costs as if they were a large organization,” said Chuck Wilson, NSCA Executive Director. “Our industry can get so inundated with the technology, but set all of that aside for a minute. This is about helping small businesses in America survive and grow. This is about helping people.”

“We’re very excited to team up with the NSCA to help smaller companies in our industry that perhaps couldn’t do it on their own today, obtain health insurance,” said Randy Klein, Crestron Executive Vice President. “One of the largest expenses for a small business - and the often first to be cut - is health benefits. This program means more companies staying in business and more people at work, which is good for the economy and good for our industry on all levels.”

As the program continues to grow, even greater discounts and stabilized rates will allow systems integrators to benefit from this innovative, one-of-a-kind program. Ultimately, the plan contributes to the stability and future growth of the custom electronics/professional AV industry, while giving small business owners and their employees peace of mind.

“You’d be shocked at the number of companies that can’t afford to offer their employees health insurance,” said Wilson. “It’s hard to run a business today, but we all worked together to see how we could pool our resources to help these smaller companies provide affordable healthcare, and Crestron stepped up with us.”

With all the unknowns surrounding healthcare reform and many small businesses unable to survive, the SystemPlus program brings stability, cost savings and security to thousands of American small businesses.

“Healthcare reform is going to bring a series of additional challenges to smaller integration firms,” said Ray Bailey, Lone Star Communications president and Chairman of the SystemsPlus Mutual Insurance Company Board of Directors. “In addition to the ability to purchase insurance as if you were a large company, this program also meets many of the requirements of healthcare reform.”

To learn how your company can benefit with SystemsPlus Health, Property & Casualty or Surety Solutions, visit www.systemsplus.org or call NSCA at 800.446.6722.

Contacts for editorial use:

“SystemsPlus Health has been, by far, the best received plan we’ve ever participated in. On top of the cost savings, almost weekly I get an unsolicited e-mail or voice mail thanking me for switching to this plan. Our employees and their spouses are happier now. Our participation in SystemsPlus has provided us a savings of $6,630/month or $79,560 annually!”

Ron Pusey, President/CEO
Communications Specialists Inc.

“Dealing with SystemsPlus was much less painful than the typical enrollment and quotation process we have had in the past with other carriers. They were very helpful and turned things around very quickly. This will be the first time in 5 years we will not have an increase in healthcare costs, and have the opportunity to lower employee deductibles by half.”

Max Curry, President
Infinity Sound

“Having access to our group’s claims information on a monthly basis is very beneficial to evaluating how well our consumer-directed healthcare initiatives are impacting our plan and company’s bottom line.”

Sandy Quaintance, HR Director
AVI Systems, Inc.

“Our participation in the Health Solutions program is providing us the opportunity to create long-term rate stability for both our firm and our employees nationwide. We now have the information and resources available to be proactive in our approach to financing our medical plan.

Rick Perry, CFO
LMG, Inc.

About Crestron

For 40 years Crestron has been the world's leading manufacturer of advanced control and automation systems, innovating technology and reinventing the way people live and work. Providing integrated solutions to control audio, video, lighting, computer, IP and environmental systems, Crestron streamlines technology, improving the quality of life for people in corporate
conference rooms, hotels, classrooms, auditoriums, and in their homes. Crestron's leadership stems from its dedicated people who are committed to providing the best products, programs and services in the industry.

In addition to its World Headquarters in Rockleigh, New Jersey, Crestron has sales and support offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia.

About NSCA

NSCA is the leading not-for-profit association representing the commercial electronic
systems industry. With more than 2,500 member companies worldwide, the National
Systems Contractors Association is a powerful advocate of all who work within the low voltage
industry, including systems contractors/integrators, product manufacturers, consultants, sales representatives, architects, specifying engineers and other allied professionals. NSCA is dedicated to serving its members and stakeholders through education, advocacy, outreach and member services.

Offering its own certification program, the Electronic Systems Technician (EST) and an extensive library of courses within six professional colleges of the NSCA University, NSCA members are trained on topics from sales to business management to technical knowledge. NSCA provides leading industry research and market intelligence, insurance solutions through its SystemsPlus™ Insurance Solutions program, and the industry’s most comprehensive
manual of practice, Essentials of Systems Integration™ Online, as well as other business tools. For more information, visit www.nsca.org.

Jeff Singer
15 Volvo Drive
Rockleigh, NJ 07647

This release was published on openPR.