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EdVantage Health Insurance

Experience peace of mind with coverage tailored to your needs, ensuring reliable protection for life’s uncertainties. Providing comprehensive insurance plans you can count on, for your family, assets, and future.

Recognizing the potential to leverage group size, ESSDACK established a unique group-health insurance pool in 1991 and continues to offer affordable health insurance options for its members.

What is the EdVantage Benefits Group (EBG)?

EBG is a nonprofit health insurance consortium formed to serve Kansas school districts and educational collaboratives, including special education cooperatives. Previously known as the ESSDACK Health Insurance Group, EBG now operates as a self-funded group, offering flexible, stable, and cost-effective health insurance benefits. It is governed by a Board of Trustees (made up of member district leaders) and operates under Kansas law (K.S.A. 12-2616 to 12-2631).

Who supports and manages EBG health plans?

ESSDACK continues to provide administrative support for EBG. For the 2025–2026 plan year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) will serve as the insurance carrier, offering a robust statewide network and reliable claims processing.

Why did EBG move to a self-funded model?

This transition allows for more local control and long-term stability. Benefits include:

  • Greater flexibility in district contribution strategies

  • Control over plan designs and premiums

  • Ability for districts to select different plan types year to year

  • A collaborative approach to managing rising healthcare costs

How can a district join the EBG Consortium?

  • Participation in the ESSDACK insurance consortium is limited to member districts and requires pre-qualification. Districts interested in joining should notify the ESSDACK Executive Director in writing between October 1 and May 1 for coverage beginning the following October 1.

  • Underwriting is required for new members joining after 2004 to ensure financial alignment with the consortium.

  • Districts wanting additional information should contact: ebg@essdack.org

Minimum Membership Requirements:

  • New members must contribute at least 90% of the employee-only premium for the lowest-cost plan.

  • Maintain 70% participation among eligible staff

  • Clearly define benefit-eligible employees

  • Comply with ACA affordability standards

Other FAQs

  • Yes. All EBG health plans meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, including:

    • No-cost preventive care

    • Essential health benefits coverage

    • Meeting IRS affordability standards (IRC Section 4980H)

  • Open enrollment typically occurs in August. Enrollment is currently managed

    through BluesEnroll, the online enrollment platform offered by BCBSKS.

  • Districts moving away from grandfathered plans gain:

    • Greater flexibility in plan design and contributions

    • More modern compliance tools and structures (Once a grandfathered plan is exited, districts cannot revert back.)

  • District contacts will have access to:

    • Plan documents and Summary of Benefits & Coverage (SBCs)

    • BlueEnroll access and tutorials

    • Compliance and HSA guidance