Westwood ? About 30 small businesses in Kansas have signed up for a lower-cost health insurance plan that cuts premiums by more than 40 percent.

The private plan, called Horizons Cost Saver, was begun a year ago for small Kansas businesses — those with between two and 50 employees — that cannot afford a traditional health insurance plan or are about to cancel health insurance to save money.

The plan, being promoted by the Health Partners Benefit Assn., can be offered at a lower cost because it does not offer benefits as extensive as traditional health insurance plans. The plan is offered by Kansas City, Mo.-based Allied National Cos.

Westwood Mayor Bill Kostar, chairman of the association, said for those without insurance, the plan was better than no coverage at all.

“It’s really the only way to widely address this issue in Kansas,” he said.

Three years ago, the Kansas Legislature passed the Kansas Business Health Partnership Act, which established a policy committee, which in turn established the Health Partners Benefit Assn.

When the plan was put together, Kostar said, organizers hoped premiums could be partly subsidized with federal Medicaid funds. However, the state’s fiscal problems mean none of that money has been available.

Until that money becomes available, Kostar said, the association has been promoting Allied’s private plan with insurance agents across the state. It also has been trying to publicize several little-known programs offered by the Kansas Insurance Department and the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

Seminars were conducted last month for insurance agents in Overland Park, Wichita, Dodge City, Hays, Salina and Topeka. More than 100 agents participated.