Houston Business Journal:

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"Virtually any employee who is attractiv to a business is attractive to otherf organizationsas well, and health care is the No. 1 thing employees ask about after compensation," Tassey But if you've never offered a health plan at yourbusinesx before, the research proceszs can plunge you into an unfamilia r world of acronyms - HMO, PPO, HSA- and the options can be So if it's your first trip into the water of health insurance shopping, you would probablyh be wise to work with a broker or insurancr adviser.
Health insurance can be a confusin consumer decisionto make, and havingh a trained professional on your side can make all the notes Tassey, who recommends that people ask trustexd friends, family, or professional contactsd what broker they work with to obtain a good list of potentiaol candidates. If you can't get a referral that way and have to resorgtto cold-calling brokers, ask for the names of two or thre of their clients who you can call to ask how satisfieed they are with the service they're Tassey says it's the least you can do when choosinbg the individual who will handler one of your most importanty internal business decisions.
"You want to be dealinhg with an insurance adviser who has experience in your and it's very, very appropriate and very much expectesd for you to ask that person for a couples of references," he says. "If you're in a small you've got your family and your and probablya pet. But if you'rse going to marry your life to a it pays to take the extrsa minute and checkthose references." Once you've founx a broker, Tassey says he or she will help you considefr what kind of plans to offer.
He says a good broke r often can give you a pictur e of what kind of health care plans are most commoh in your industry or for businesses of your size so that you can stay If you're offering a health benefit for the firs time, you'll also need to think about how much of the cost of your employees' health insurance expenses you're willing and able to pay, and whether or not you'rse willing to pay for health care for dependentxs of employees. And will you requirs new employees to work for your companu for a certain amount of time before qualifying forbenefits ?
If you have a small business and choosee to research insurance plans independently, without a one piece of information might save you some Tassey says the fact of the matte r is that where a 500-employe e business has some bargaining power when it comee to their health plan small groups are usually quoted a uniform price based on and it typically doesn't leave a lot of room for Speaking of price tags, another tip is this: When it comexs to choosing a health plan, the bottom line is not always the bottom line.
That's to say that whil cost is a major concern for almost anyone shopping for healtn insurance coveragethese days, what you get for the monehy should be considered along with the price tag. Janice Torrez. of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New recommends groups and individuals consider the restrictions or options that come with certain For instance, Torrez says, a plan that places no restrictiones on what physician a member can see might come at a higheer cost. Likewise, a plan with a low monthlu premium could sport somewhopping out-of-pocket expensezs should one need a service like home healthg care, hospital stays, or medical equipment.
The LIFE organization advises when shopping for a healthcare plan, businesses and individuales start by considering what health-related service are important to Included in the list of servicese to consider are inpatient hospital services, outpatient office visits, medical tests and prescription drugs, home health care visits, physical maternity care, preventative care for infants and children, and health screenings. Then comparde the cost of plansd that offer youthose benefits.