Health Care Access for 500,000 Restaurant Employees Announced by New Private Health Alliance

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 500,000 Pennsylvania restaurant workers will soon have access to health insurance and related products and services through a new private health alliance unveiled by business, industry and political leaders, including Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, today in Philadelphia.

The Restaurant Health Care Alliance is a joint project of the National Restaurant Association and UnitedHealthcare.  The Alliance, partnering with the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, provides a suite of health care products that will help over half a million restaurant employees working in the state of Pennsylvania receive easier, lower cost access to health care coverage and related products and services.  In addition, it will help restaurant owners and employees understand their health care coverage options as well as tax and eligibility changes that are occurring in 2010 and beyond. It is available to restaurant owners and employees, as well as insurance agents and advisers who serve the restaurant industry.  

The restaurant industry is an important part of Pennsylvania's economic engine. For every extra $1 million spent in Pennsylvania's eating and drinking places, an additional 29.8 jobs are created in Pennsylvania.  The restaurant workforce in Pennsylvania is made up of 532,900 people, representing 10 percent of total employment in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is one of four states selected by the Alliance for pilot projects for what is expected to become a nationwide health benefits product available to the 13 million American food service industry employees. Between 4 and 6 million food industry workers across the country are without health coverage at any given time.

"Providing health care coverage options to restaurant employees and helping restaurant owners – many of whom are small business owners – cut through the complexity of the health care market is critical to the success of this important industry in Pennsylvania which currently represents nearly 10 percent of our total workforce," said Governor Rendell who joined business and industry leaders at today's announcement.

"We are pleased to join this alliance and are excited by its potential to help members of the restaurant and foodservice industry secure affordable healthcare coverage," said Patrick Conway, Pennsylvania Restaurant Association president and CEO.  "We strive to offer our members access to the highest quality benefits and money-saving programs, and think a partnership with UnitedHealthcare is a valuable addition for our members."

"As the nation's second-largest private-sector employer with 13 million employees, America's restaurants are dedicated to providing affordable, accessible, and high quality options of health care for our workers," said Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association president and CEO.  "UnitedHealthcare's vast experience and diverse capabilities make them the right partner for the Restaurant Health Care Alliance.  Our members will benefit through easier access to affordable health care coverage for their employees and dependents and allow for future opportunities to provide added benefits. We are committed to reducing costs in the health care system, improving access to the best doctors, and providing incentives for employees to remain in our restaurants."

"We are excited about this unique opportunity to partner with the National Restaurant Association to tailor health care information and products that best meet the needs of restaurant owners and employees," said Jeff Alter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Northeast Region.

For more information, please visit http://restauranthealthcare.org.

About Pennsylvania Restaurant Association

Founded in 1937, the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association represents more than 7,000 Pennsylvania restaurants and foodservice establishments located across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania's restaurant industry plays an integral role in the state's economy, employing more than 532,900 people and generating $16.2 billion in annual sales.

About National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of nearly 13 million employees.  Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America's restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve.  For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies.  The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of approximately 25 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more than 600,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide.  UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association