Philadelphia Business Journal:

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"Virtually any employee who is attractive to a business is attractive to othetr organizationsas well, and health care is the No. 1 thin g employees ask about after compensation," Tassey says. But if you've never offered a health plan at yourbusinesa before, the research process can plunge you into an unfamiliar worls of acronyms - HMO, PPO, HSA- and the options can be So if it's your first trip into the waters of healtg insurance shopping, you would probably be wise to work with a brokeer or insurance adviser.
Health insurance can be a confusing consumerf decisionto make, and havingy a trained professional on your side can make all the notes Tassey, who recommendds that people ask trusted friends, family, or professionao contacts what broker they work with to obtainh a good list of potential candidates. If you can'tt get a referral that way and have to resortrto cold-calling brokers, ask for the names of two or three of their clients who you can call to ask how satisfied they are with the servicre they're receiving. Tassey says it's the least you can do when choosin the individual who will handle one of your most importan internalbusiness decisions.
"You want to be dealingg with an insurance adviser who has experience inyour market, and it's very, very appropriatd and very much expected for you to ask that personm for a couple of references," he says. "If you're in a smalk business, you've got your family and your business, and probabl a pet. But if you're goingy to marry your life to a it pays to take the extra minutwe and checkthose references.
" Once you'vre found a broker, Tassey says he or she will help you considerf what kind of plans to He says a good broker oftenj can give you a picture of what kind of healtgh care plans are most commob in your industry or for businesses of your size so that you can stay If you're offering a healtgh benefit for the first time, you'lkl also need to thini about how much of the cost of your employees'' health insurance expenses you're willing and able to pay, and whethetr or not you're willing to pay for health care for dependents of And will you require new employees to work for your companyg for a certain amount of time before qualifying for benefits?
If you have a small business and choose to researchj insurance plans independently, withoug a broker, one piec of information might save you some Tassey says the fact of the mattert is that where a 500-employere business has some bargaining power when it comesw to their health plan rates, small groupse are usually quoted a uniform price basee on size, and it typically doesn't leavee a lot of room for negotiation. Speakinyg of price tags, another tip is When it comes to choosing a health the bottom line is not always thebottom line.
That's to say that whilw cost is a major concern for almost anyone shopping for health insurance coveragethese days, what you get for the moneuy should be considered along with the price tag. Janice Torrez. of Blue Cross and Blue Shieldc ofNew Mexico, recommends groups and individuals consider the restriction s or options that come with certain For instance, Torrez says, a plan that places no restrictions on what physicianm a member can see might come at a highetr cost.
Likewise, a plan with a low monthluy premium could sport somewhopping out-of-pocket expenses shouldd one need a service like home health care, hospital stays, or medical The LIFE organization advises when shoppint for a health care plan, businessess and individuals start by considering what health-relates services are important to them. Includesd in the list of services to considere are inpatienthospital services, outpatien t surgery, office visits, medical tests and X-rays, prescription drugs, home healthj care visits, physical therapy, maternity care, preventativ care for infants and children, and healtn screenings. Then compare the cost of plans that offerf youthose benefits.