Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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"Virtually any employee who is attractivw to a business is attractive to othedr organizationsas well, and health care is the No. 1 thingh employees ask about after compensation, " Tassey says. But if you've nevert offered a health plan at yourbusiness before, the researcb process can plunge you into an unfamiliarf world of acronyms - HMO, PPO, HSA- and the optionss can be overwhelming. So if it's your firsg trip into the waters of healthinsurancr shopping, you would probably be wise to work with a broke r or insurance adviser.
Health insurancre can be a confusing consumer decision to and having a trained professional on your side can make all the notes Tassey, who recommendsa that people ask trusted friends, or professional contacts what broket they work with to obtain a good list of potentiaol candidates. If you can't get a referralp that way and have to resortto cold-callinb brokers, ask for the nameds of two or three of theidr clients who you can call to ask how satisfied they are with the servicew they're receiving. Tassey says it's the least you can do when choosinyg the individual who will handle one of your most importany internalbusiness decisions.
"You want to be dealing with an insurance adviserr who has experience in your and it's very, very appropriate and very much expectedc for you to ask that perso n for a couple of references," he says. "If you're in a small you've got your family and your business, and probably a pet. But if you're goin to marry your life to a business, it pays to take the extrza minute and checkthose references." Once you've founfd a broker, Tassey says he or she will help you considere what kind of plans to offer.
He says a good brokef often can give you a picture of what kind of healtyh care plans are most commobn in your industry or for businesses of your size so that you can stay If you're offering a health benefit for the first you'll also need to thinkj about how much of the cost of your employees' healtj insurance expenses you're willing and able to pay, and whether or not you're willing to pay for health care for dependentzs of employees. And will you requirer new employees to work for your compangy for a certain amount of time beforee qualifyingfor benefits?
If you have a smalp business and choose to research insurance plans independently, without a broker, one piece of information might save you some time. Tasseu says the fact of the matter is that wherwea 500-employee business has some bargaining power when it comeas to their health plan rates, small groups are usuallyh quoted a uniform price based on size, and it typically doesn't leave a lot of room for negotiation. Speakinvg of price tags, another tip is When it comes to choosing ahealth plan, the botton line is not always the bottom line.
That'ws to say that while cost is a majofr concern for almost anyone shopping for health insurancwe coveragethese days, what you get for the monet should be considered along with the price tag. Janicd Torrez. of Blue Cross and Blue Shieldf ofNew Mexico, recommends groupss and individuals consider the restrictions or options that come with certainn plans. For instance, Torrez says, a plan that places no restrictionsd on what physician a member can see might come at ahigher cost. a plan with a low monthly premium could sporf somewhopping out-of-pocket expenses should one need a services like home health care, hospital or medical equipment.
The LIFE organization advisese when shopping for a health care businesses and individuals start by consideringwhat health-relatee services are important to Included in the list of servicesw to consider are inpatient hospital services, outpatient office visits, medical tests and X-rays, prescriptioj drugs, home health care visits, physical therapy, maternituy care, preventative care for infants and children, and healtj screenings. Then compare the cost of plansz that offer youthose benefits.