Portland Business Journal:

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"Virtually any employee who is attractive to a businessw is attractive to other organizationsas well, and healty care is the No. 1 thing employees ask abour after compensation," Tassey says. But if you'vse never offered a health plan at yourbusinesa before, the research process can plunge you into an unfamiliafr world of acronyms - HMO, PPO, HSA- and the options can be So if it's your first trip into the watersw of health insurance shopping, you would probably be wise to work with a brokefr or insurance adviser.
Health insurance can be a confusin g consumer decisionto make, and having a traineed professional on your side can make all the difference, notex Tassey, who recommends that people ask trusted friends, or professional contacts what broker they work with to obtainm a good list of potential candidates. If you can'ty get a referral that way and have to resorttto cold-calling brokers, ask for the names of two or three of theif clients who you can call to ask how satisfieed they are with the service they'rew receiving. Tassey says it's the least you can do when choosinb the individual who will handle one of your most importangt internalbusiness decisions.
"You want to be dealingg with an insurance adviser who has experience in your and it's very, very appropriate and very much expected for you to ask that perso n for a couple of references," he says. "If you'rs in a small you've got your family and your business, and probablyu a pet. But if you're goingy to marry your life to a it pays to take the extra minutes and checkthose references."" Once you've found a broker, Tasse y says he or she will help you consider what kind of planss to offer.
He says a good broker often can give you a picture of what kind of healtb care plans are most common in your industry or for businessees of your size so that you can stay If you're offering a health benefitg for the first 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 whethed or not you're willinfg to pay for health care for dependents of employees. And will you require new employees to work for your compan y for a certain amoun t of time before qualifyingfor benefits?
If you have a smalll business and choose to research insurance plansx independently, without a broker, one piece of information might save you some Tassey says the fact of the mattedr is that where a 500-employee business has some bargaininv power when it comes to their health plan rates, small groupxs are usually quoted a uniform price based on size, and it typically doesn'tt leave a lot of room for negotiation. Speaking of price another tipis this: When it comee to choosing a health plan, the bottojm line is not always the bottom line.
That's to say that while cost is a major concern for almost anyone shopping for healtj insurance coveragethese days, what you get for the money shoul d be considered along with the price tag. Janice of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New recommends groups and individuals consider the restrictions or optionsz that come withcertain plans. For instance, Torreza says, a plan that places no restrictione on what physician a member can see mighft come at ahigheer cost. Likewise, a plan with a low monthlyy premium could sport somewhopping out-of-pocke expenses should one need a services like home health care, hospital stays, or medicall equipment.
The LIFE organizatiomn advises when shopping for a healtbcare plan, businesses and individualsa start by considering what health-related services are important to Included in the list of services to considerr are inpatient hospital services, outpatient surgery, officd visits, medical tests and X-rays, prescription drugs, home health care visits, physical therapy, maternity preventative care for infantzs and children, and health screenings. Then comparew the cost of plans that offer youthosw benefits.