Frequently Asked Questions

Charter schools face a unique set of challenges that make it difficult to offer the same quality of health benefits as traditional public schools:

• Rising Costs: Health insurance costs have been increasing faster than per-pupil revenue growth, making competitive benefits harder to sustain over time.
• Budget Constraints: With limited budgets compared to traditional public schools, rising benefit costs can strain resources that might otherwise go toward curriculum, technology, and staff training.
• Teacher Retention: Competitive health benefits are crucial for attracting and retaining qualified teachers — yet budgetary limitations often prevent charter schools from offering them independently.
• Impact on Core Operations: When too much of the budget is consumed by rising benefit costs, important areas like professional development, technology upgrades, and instructional resources can suffer.

Charter Schools Fund was created specifically to address these challenges by pooling resources across schools nationwide.

By pooling resources from charter schools across the country, Charter Schools Fund gives member schools the same large-group negotiating power typically reserved for major employers. This translates to real, measurable benefits:

• Absorbing Cost Increases: We work to absorb annual cost increases so schools can offer stable, predictable coverage year after year without sacrificing quality.
• Negotiating Power: Our scale allows us to negotiate directly with top-tier national carriers — Anthem BCBS, Aetna, and Cigna — for better rates and broader networks than most individual charter schools could secure on their own.
• Flexible Options: Schools can select benefit packages tailored to their employees' needs and budget, with different levels of coverage and optional ancillary benefits.
• Transparency: We maintain open communication with member schools about plans and cost-management strategies so administrators can budget with confidence.

Health benefits are consistently one of the most important factors teachers consider when evaluating job offers. Charter schools that can offer comprehensive, competitive benefits — comparable to or better than traditional public schools — have a significant advantage in recruiting and retaining qualified educators.

Through Charter Schools Fund, member schools can offer a full suite of medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage without the administrative burden of negotiating independently. This allows school leadership to focus on education while still providing the competitive compensation package today's teachers expect.

Yes. Beyond core medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage, Charter Schools Fund can help schools explore ancillary benefits that support employee well-being more broadly. These may include:

• Financial assistance programs for out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Mental health and employee assistance program (EAP) resources
• Wellness initiatives designed to reduce stress and lower long-term healthcare costs

A healthy, supported workforce benefits both employees and the schools they serve. Contact us to learn more about ancillary options available for your school.

It depends. Some charter schools may be exempt from ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) regulations depending on how the school is classified in its state and how benefits are structured. ERISA status can affect how your school offers and administers both health and retirement benefits.

This is an area where expert guidance matters. Charter Schools Fund can help connect your school with the right resources to understand your obligations. Contact us to discuss your school's specific situation.

Charter Schools Fund benefits are available to charter schools across the United States. Any charter school that meets participation requirements can enroll its employees in our health benefit programs. Eligibility generally extends to full-time employees and, depending on the plan selected, may include part-time employees as well. Spouses and dependents are typically eligible for coverage under family plans.

To determine if your charter school qualifies, please contact us for a personalized eligibility assessment.

Charter schools can join the Charter Schools Fund at any time during the year. Once enrolled, employees can make changes to their benefits during the annual Open Enrollment period, which is typically held before the plan renewal date.

Outside of Open Enrollment, employees may make changes if they experience a qualifying life event, such as marriage, the birth or adoption of a child, loss of other coverage, or a change in employment status. Your school's benefits administrator can help determine if a change qualifies.

We offer comprehensive medical coverage through three nationally recognized carriers:

• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
• Aetna
• Cigna

Your charter school can choose from any of these three networks. Depending on the size of your organization, you may be able to offer two or even all three networks simultaneously, giving employees more choice in their healthcare provider options.

For more details about our medical coverage, visit our Employee Programs page.

Prescription coverage is included with your medical plan. The pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) is determined by the medical carrier your school selects:

• CVS Caremark — paired with certain carrier options.
• Prime Therapeutics — paired with other carrier options.

Both PBMs offer easy prescription refills (online and via mobile app), home delivery options, and specialty pharmacy services for employees who require specialized medications. Plans range from rich low-copay options to more affordable generic-only plans.

Charter Schools Fund provides dental coverage through Delta Dental PPO, one of the nation's largest dental networks. Delta Dental PPO gives employees access to a wide network of dentists who have agreed to reduced fees, helping to lower out-of-pocket costs.

Coverage typically includes preventive care (cleanings, exams, X-rays), basic procedures (fillings, extractions), and major procedures (crowns, root canals, dentures). Visit our Employee Programs page for more details.

Vision benefits are provided through EyeMed, a leading vision care network. EyeMed offers access to a broad network of eye care providers, including optometrists, ophthalmologists, and retail optical locations.

Coverage typically includes annual eye exams, allowances for frames and lenses or contact lenses, and discounts on additional services like LASIK. EyeMed's network ensures employees receive quality eye care at affordable costs.

You can search for in-network providers directly through your carrier's website or mobile app. We've made it easy by providing direct links to each carrier's provider search tool on our Find a Provider page.

Simply click on the logo for your medical, dental, or vision carrier to be taken directly to their provider search tool. You can search by provider name, specialty, location, or facility type. Using in-network providers helps keep your out-of-pocket costs low.

Members can access their individual carrier portals through our Login page. From there, you can select your specific carrier (Anthem BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, Delta Dental, EyeMed, CVS, or Prime) to be directed to their member portal.

Through the member portal, you can typically view your benefits, check claims status, find providers, view your ID card, and manage your account. If you haven't registered yet, you will need your member ID (found on your insurance card) to create an account.

Charter Schools Fund offers two program categories tailored to different audiences:

• Employee Programs (also called "School Programs") — These are the health benefit plans available to charter school employees and their dependents. They include medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage. Learn more about Employee Programs.
• Administrator Programs (also called "MEC Programs") — These are compliance-focused programs designed for charter school administrators. They help schools meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) requirements and include tools for benefits administration. Learn more about Administrator Programs.

Visit our Programs page to explore both options.

Getting started is simple. You can reach out to us in any of the following ways:

• Contact form: Fill out the form on our Contact Us page and a member of our team will get back to you.
• Phone: Call us at (502) 395-0737 to speak with a representative.
• Email: Send us a message at [email protected].

Our team will walk you through the available programs, help you understand your options, and guide you through the enrollment process. We're here to make the transition as smooth as possible for your school.

For questions about your specific benefits, claims, or coverage details, your first point of contact should be the member services number on the back of your insurance card for the relevant carrier (medical, dental, or vision).

For general questions about Charter Schools Fund programs, enrollment, or to get help navigating your options, you can reach our team at:

• Phone: (502) 395-0737
• Email: [email protected]

Your school's benefits administrator is also a great resource for questions specific to your organization's plan selections and enrollment processes.

Charter Schools Fund is a national program designed to serve charter schools across the United States. Our carrier partners — Anthem BCBS, Aetna, and Cigna — all maintain extensive nationwide networks, so employees can find providers wherever they are located.

Availability of specific plan options may vary by state due to regulatory requirements. Contact us to discuss the options available for your charter school's location.