The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA), the driving force behind North Carolina’s $23.5 billion restaurant, foodservice and lodging industries, is announcing a new Restaurant & Hospitality Association (RHA) Benefit Trust. The first of its kind in North Carolina, the RHA Benefit Trust allows hotels, restaurants, bars and other small hospitality businesses (with 2 – 99 full-time employees) to band together to purchase group health coverage typically only available to large employers.

Through the RHA Benefit Trust, small businesses can unlock cost savings, pricing flexibility and health plans tailored to the needs of their employees. For example, a small business used the RHA Benefit Trust to save 28 percent over available small business rates and provide its six employees with similar or better health coverage.

“This RHA Benefit Trust takes meaningful steps to help our members across the state address rising health care costs,” said NCRLA President and CEO Lynn Minges. “By offering pricing and plan options typically reserved for large businesses, we’re empowering small hospitality groups and operators to provide their employees with excellent health care at a reasonable cost.”

This RHA Benefit Trust is available exclusively to small restaurant and hotel employer members of the National Restaurant Association and its state partners, including NCRLA. It is insured and serviced by UnitedHealthcare — the only endorsed health carrier of the National Restaurant Association. NCRLA members interested in learning more about the RHA Benefit Trust can visit Restauranthealthcare.org/Products/Health to request a quote for their employees.

NCRLA is the uniting force of the North Carolina hospitality industry, providing members with full legal and regulatory support for day-to-day operations, continuing training and education, as well as valuable industry reports and resources.

To learn more about NCRLA’s membership opportunities and cost-saving benefits, including the RHA Benefit Trust, please visit www.ncrla.org. Follow the NCRLA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

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