Dear Chamber Supporters,
Makayla, Lisa (mother-in-law), Dave (father-in-law), and I headed west last week to visit my brother-in-law in Fort Collins, Colorado. A long weekend filled to the brim with activities and family time. The excitement started early; after about an hour into our drive, we caught some debris off the highway construction. This involved getting delayed a few hours while we got ourselves a new tire before hitting the road again (picture here). Luckily, no further damage and no other incidents throughout the rest of the journey. Once in Colorado, we hiked, visited breweries, played minigolf and pickleball, shopped, and even celebrated Halloween with a bar crawl (pictures here). Time flies when you're having fun, so it was over before we knew it!
I didn't accompany them all the way back to eastern Kansas, as I stopped in Hays for the first half of the week, taking part in the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas (CCEKS) annual conference. Chamber employees from around the state come together to network, participate in workshops, and learn from each other throughout the event. It was mentioned that there were several hundred years' worth of Chamber experience in the room, some Chamber Presidents with over 25 years of service. It was neat to hear about ways we could consider improving our office while sharing advice with some of the newer Chamber executives at the same time. This is also the first year I have had the privilege to serve on the CCEKS board, one of fourteen members across the state. This was a great chance to refresh personally and professionally before heading into the busy holiday season and the new year.
Celebrate Ottawa’s Best
One of the first things that will happen after the new year is the Chamber's Annual Awards and Banquet on January 16th. This event is one of the best nights to socialize with other community leaders across all of our county's industries. Though it's great fun to network, eat, and drink, we also love being able to recognize the great work that folks are doing throughout our community. Starting today, you have just over a month to start thinking about who to nominate for our five awards (list of awards here). This nomination process is all done electronically with just the click of a few buttons (nomination page here). This can be found on our website and will be open until December 9th. Every year, YOU share the names of people who deserve recognition. Thank you for lifting others up in this way! Whether you know someone with a smile that brings you joy, have a favorite business in town, or someone who provides the highest form of leadership throughout the community, there's an award just waiting for your nomination!
Updates on Chamber Health Plans
A conversation that has regularly been front of mind and on the lips of CCEKS board members is the insurance plan that Kansas Chambers has been able to offer these last two years. This organization has been the pass-through for this Association Health Plan. For several reasons, some rather large changes are taking place to this program. I should start by saying I do not yet have all the marketing materials, but now we know things are set in stone and moving forward. As a result, I wanted to ensure this information started being disseminated as soon as possible.
If you'd like some backstory, this paragraph is meant for you! Long story short, earlier this year, changes at the federal level impacted association health plans (AHPs). The shift stemmed from a ruling from the U.S. Department of Labor that narrowed the interpretation of who qualifies as a "bona fide" association. With this ruling, plans need to meet stricter standards and exclude the current plans offered by CCEKS and our Chamber. As a result, this plan, as it operates right now, will cease to exist on 1/1/2025. It's not all gloom and doom though! CCEKS has been working diligently to develop another option to provide options for Chambers and their members. That process included hiring insurance professionals and legal counsel to negotiate how to move forward, all of which came from CCEKS's pocket. This process started by working with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas on what a new option could look like, as they were the insurance provider over the last two years through the CCEKS plan. For much of the summer and early spring, Chambers were hopeful that BCBS would find a way to offer us similar plans under a new structure put forth by our advisors. Unfortunately, after many months of conversations and negotiations, it was obvious that there was no path moving forward with BCBS. As a result, CCEKS had to pivot and seek a partnership elsewhere.
This new plan looks like CCEKS partnering with Aetna to provide Chamber member businesses with health insurance options. One of the biggest pros of this switch is that enrollment can take place year-round, meaning no more strict timelines like we've had the last two years. Whether it's January or July, your business can start to look at these options. We are excited to start pushing this out heavily once things are set in place, but this will mean that any group with two or more W2 employees can consider this an option. This will include medical underwriting; based on these results, rates can be accessed. But for now, know there will be options for a Chamber member to access critical health insurance. I'll continue to use our channels once solidified processes and literature are ready to be distributed. We're grateful for those businesses who have utilized this benefit and have unfortunately been jerked around throughout this year with all the uncertainty. I wouldn't consider most of what's taken place fun, but it does feel nice knowing there is a way to move forward together.
Rocking Ottawa’s Health Scene
This morning, we met up with our good friends at Rock Creek of Ottawa to highlight their outpatient clinic and catch up on all the great services they offer in our community (pictures here). Rock Creek of Ottawa employs 164 individuals throughout their many services and departments, one of our major employers within the county. These numbers have risen exponentially over the last half a decade. Six years ago, Rock Creek was born (transitioned from Ottawa Retirement Village), and since then, they have seen a full 180 in all performance categories: financial, services, satisfaction, culture, etc. This was made possible through intentional change and bolstered leadership. When Rock Creek of Ottawa took over in 2018, they sat at a one-star level by industry standards; as of last year, they are now four out of five stars! From conversations with their staff, they know they are not done yet and are striving ever so diligently to reach that formidable top rank. I'm looking forward to celebrating with them when they do!
The growth throughout their organization is displayed perfectly when looking at their outpatient clinic. Six years ago, four individuals worked in this department. Now, it is at sixteen! This looks like expanded services and a demand that has forced them to grow their staff. Whether a patient is coming to Rock Creek of Ottawa or can/needs to stay in their home, their team has you covered. These services include physical therapy after surgery, injury, or illness. This includes occupational therapy to enhance skills needed for independence at home or to allow them to travel outside the home safely. They shared that they have three speech therapists and even have a golf ergonomics specialist―if you need help getting back on the course or just want to improve your game! These are just a few ways Rock Creek of Ottawa supports our community's health. An important note is that you do not need to be a Rock Creek patient or even a senior to utilize this clinic. They accept most major medical and can work with you on options to make their care accessible and beneficial to where you are. If you're lucky, they'll even let you play the blinking light game (video here). Check out their website or stop by their location at 1100 W 15th Street to hear all about what they offer. Every time I'm there, I learn about a whole new service; they just do it all!
~
Today felt a bit like a Tuesday for me, given that I was out of town for the first half. There is a lot to be excited about with the holiday season underway! Since we're out of spooky season, Makayla has undoubtedly started listening to Christmas music already. We might even have a tree up this weekend (is that a sin?). As we start thinking about Christmas shopping, I encourage you to take advantage of shopping locally to find some of those special gifts that just don't exist elsewhere. See you soon!
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
