To be eligible for Membership in Employers Coalition for Healthcare Options (ECHO) an applicant must meet the eligibility requirements described below. Each entity which is separately organized shall be considered separately for membership, and pay dues as a single Member even though related to another entity by common ownership, control, management or otherwise. All membership applicants must submit the appropriate ECHO application and be assigned to the appropriate membership classification by the ECHO Board of Directors. Additionally, all applicants are required to submit membership dues with the completed application and annually thereafter, in accordance with the ECHO Bylaws. Please make checks payable to ECHO and mail to the address at the top of the application.
To be eligible to apply for Purchaser Membership in ECHO, an entity must not be primarily engaged in the development, promotion, provision, evaluation, management or sale of any healthcare related product, benefit, service, or treatment; and must employ a minimum of one hundred (100) full time employees in AlabamaPurchaser Members are required to serve on at least one (1) standing committee appointed by the Board of Directors and shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Members (also known as "General Membership Meetings"). Purchaser Members with one hundred (100) or more employees may be elected to serve as Purchaser Directors or may be elected by the Board of Directors to serve as an officer of the corporation. Purchaser Members are eligible to participate in all ECHO negotiated, endorsed or developed benefits, products and services (subject to any eligibility/participation requirements of the applicable vendors/supplier/providers).
To be eligible to apply for Product Only Membership in ECHO, an individual or entity shall be those entities which participate in one or more of ECHO endorsed services or products and been approved for Product Only Membership by the Board of Directors. Product Only Members must be an employer with two (2) or more employees in Alabama. Product Only Members are not eligible to serve on the ECHO Board, hold office, vote or elect a representative from their membership category. Any committee participation by the Product Only members will by invitation only from the ECHO Board and is limited to the Small Purchaser Committee, Quality Committee, and Community Health/Membership Committee. Product Only Members may be given permission to attend ECHO sponsored seminars or programs, which will be determined by the ECHO Executive Committee on a case-by-case basis. Product Only Members shall not have access to any confidential information obtained for any purpose by ECHO from Purchaser Members, vendors, providers, including Provider Members, or suppliers. Product Only Members are eligible to participate in all ECHO negotiated, endorsed, developed or otherwise offered benefits and services (subject to any eligibility/participation requirements and criteria of the applicable plans/vendors/suppliers/providers).
To be eligible to apply for Provider Membership in ECHO, and individual or entity must be primarily engaged in the development, provision, statistical evaluation or management of one or more healthcare related products, benefits, services, or treatments; and have made appropriate application and been approved for Provider Membership by the Board of Directors.Provider Members shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Members (also known as "General Membership Meetings"); may be elected to serve as Provider Directors; and may serve on committees, other than purchasing-related committees, appointed by the Board of Directors. Provider Members are not eligible to be elected as officers and may not attend special meetings of Purchaser Members. Provider Members are eligible to respond to requests for proposals (RFP's) issued by ECHO but shall not receive preferential treatment in the selection/endorsement process. Provider Members must seek approval from ECHO of any promotional material or advertising campaign, which will identify them as a Provider Member of ECHO. Such approval shall be given in writing and bear the signature of an Officer of ECHO. Provider Members shall not have access to any confidential information obtained for any purpose by ECHO from Purchaser Members, vendors, providers, including Provider Members, or suppliers. Provider Members are eligible to participate in all ECHO negotiated, endorsed, developed or otherwise offered benefits and services (subject to any eligibility/participation requirements and criteria of the applicable plans/vendors/suppliers/providers).
To be eligible to apply for Vendor Membership in ECHO, an entity must have a service or product endorsed by ECHO and been approved for Vendor Membership by the Board of Directors. Vendor Members may change their membership status to Provider membership annually upon approval of the ECHO Board of Directors.Vendor Members shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Members (also known as “General Membership Meetings”); may not be elected to serve as Provider Directors; but may serve on committees, other than purchasing-related committees, appointed by the Board of Directors. Vendor Members are not eligible to be elected as officers and may not attend special meetings of Purchaser Members. Vendor Members are eligible to respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) issued by ECHO but shall not receive preferential treatment in the selection/endorsement process. Vendor Members must seek approval of ECHO of any promotional material or advertising campaign, which will identify them as a Vendor Member of ECHO. Such approval shall be given in writing and bear the signature of an Officer of ECHO. Vendor Members shall not have access to any confidential information obtained for any purpose by ECHO from Purchaser Members, vendors, providers, including Provider Members, or suppliers. Vendor Members are eligible to participate in all ECHO negotiated, endorsed, developed or otherwise offered benefits and services (subject to any eligibility/participation requirements and criteria of the applicable plans/vendors/suppliers/providers).
