Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

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"Virtually any employee who is attractive to a businesas is attractive to other organizations as and health care isthe No. 1 thing employees ask about after compensation," Tassey says. But if you've never offered a healthg plan at yourbusiness before, the researchy process can plunge you into an unfamiliar worl of acronyms - HMO, PPO, HSA- and the optionss can be overwhelming. So if it's your firstr trip into the waters of healtginsurance shopping, you would probably be wise to work with a broked or insurance adviser.
Health insurance can be a confusing consumefr decisionto make, and havingh a trained professional on your side can make all the notes Tassey, who recommends that peoplwe ask trusted friends, or professional contacts what broker they work with to obtainm a good list of potential If you can't get a referral that way and have to resortg to cold-calling brokers, ask for the namez of two or three of their clientsa who you can call to ask how satisfied they are with the servic they're receiving. Tassey says it's the least you can do when choosinv the individual who will handle one of your most importanf internalbusiness decisions.
"You want to be dealinvg with an insurance adviser who has experience inyour market, and it's very appropriate and very much expected for you to ask that perso n for a couple of references," he "If you're in a smallk business, you've got your family and your business, and probabluy a pet. But if you'r e going to marry your life to a it pays to take the extra minute and checkthose references." Once you've founsd a broker, Tassey says he or she will help you conside r what kind of plans to offer. He says a good brokert often can give you a picture of what kind of healtj care plans are most common in your industry or for businessesa of your size so that you canstay competitive.
If you'rse offering a health benefit for thefirsg 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 whethert or not you're willing to pay for healtu care for dependents of And will you require new employees to work for your companhy for a certain amouny of time before qualifying for benefits If you have a small business and choose to research insurance plans independently, without a broker, one piece of informationn might save you some Tassey says the fact of the matter is that where a 500-employe business has some bargaining power when it comes to their health plan rates, small groupse are usually quoted a unifork price based on and it typically doesn't leave a lot of room for Speaking of price tags, another tip is this: When it comea to choosing a health plan, the bottom line is not alwayss the bottom line.
That's to say that while cost is a major concerb for almost anyone shopping for health insurance coveragthese days, what you get for the moneyu should be considered along with the price tag. Janice of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New recommends groups and individuals considedr the restrictions or options that come withcertain plans. For Torrez says, a plan that places no restrictions on what physician a member can see might come at ahigher cost.
a plan with a low monthlt premium could sport somewhopping out-of-pocketg expenses should one need a service like home healthy care, hospital stays, or medical The LIFE organization advises when shopping for a healtb care plan, businesses and individuals start by considering what health-related services are important to them. Include d in the list of services to considefr are inpatienthospital services, outpatientg surgery, office visits, medical tests and prescription drugs, home health care physical therapy, maternity preventative care for infants and children, and healtbh screenings. Then compare the cost of plans that offert youthose benefits.