Dallas Business Journal:

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"Virtually any employee who is attractived to a business is attractive to othe organizationsas well, and healtu care is the No. 1 thinv employees ask about after compensation," Tassey says. But if you'v never offered a health plan at your business the research process can plung e you into an unfamiliar world ofacronyms - HMO, PPO, HSA- and the options can be overwhelming. So if it's your firstg trip into the waters of healtghinsurance shopping, you wouldd probably be wise to work with a broker or insurance adviser.
Health insurance can be a confusinh consumer decisionto make, and havintg a trained professional on your side can make all the notes Tassey, who recommendss that people ask trusted friends, family, or professional contactsa what broker they work with to obtai a good list of potential candidates. If you can't get a referral that way and have to resortrto cold-calling brokers, ask for the namex of two or three of their clients who you can call to ask how satisfiec they are with the service they'rw receiving. Tassey says it's the leas t you can do when choosing the individual who will handld one of your most important internalobusiness decisions.
"You want to be dealinfg with an insurance adviser who has experiencew inyour market, and it's very appropriate and very much expected for you to ask that persoh for a couple of references," he "If you're in a small you've got your family and your business, and probably a pet. But if you'rse going to marry your life toa business, it pays to take the extr a minute and check those references." Once you've found a broker, Tassey says he or she will help you consider what kind of plans to offer.
He says a good broked often can give you a picture of what kind of healtb care plans are most common in your industrhy or for businesses of your size so that you can stay If you're offering a healthy benefit for the first time, you'llo also need to think about how much of the cost of your employees'' health insurance expenses you're willing and able to pay, and whethere or not you're willing to pay for health care for dependentxs of employees. And will you require new employeesa to work for your company for a certaih amount of time before qualifyingfor benefits?
If you have a small business and choose to researcg insurance plans independently, without a broker, one piece of informatio n might save you some time. Tasseyt says the fact of the matter is that wher ea 500-employee business has some bargaining power when it comees to their health plan rates, small groupxs are usually quoted a uniform pricwe based on size, and it typicallg doesn't leave a lot of room for negotiation. Speakin of price tags, anothere tip is this: When it comes to choosint a health plan, the bottom line is not alwaysx thebottom line.
That's to say that while cost is a major concern for almost anyone shoppingv for health insurance coveragethesr days, what you get for the money should be considered alongv with the price tag. Janicd Torrez. of Blue Cross and Blue Shield ofNew Mexico, recommends groups and individuals considedr the restrictions or options that come with certainn plans. For instance, Torrez a plan that places no restrictions on what physiciajn a member can see mightg come at ahigher cost. Likewise, a plan with a low monthly premium could sport somewhopping out-of-pocket expenses should one need a servicwe like home health care, hospital or medical equipment.
The LIFE organizationj advises when shopping for a healthcare plan, businessesa and individuals start by considering what health-relate d services are important to them. Included in the list of services to consider are inpatient hospital services, outpatient surgery, office visits, medical testw and X-rays, prescription drugs, home health care visits, physical therapy, maternityu care, preventative care for infants and and health screenings. Then compare the cost of planx that offer youthose benefits.