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AARP-branded insurance & discounts. Supplemental health insurance.
AARPHealthCare.com/Insurance
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CaliforniaHealthyChoice.com
Blue Cross, Blue Shield and more... Regulated lowest price. Buy online!
www.thcsonline.com
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Affordable-Health-Insurance.org
Compare health insurance quotes in as little as 4 minutes. On our website you will find great medical insurance at low prices.
1800insurance.com
an Athens-based Health Maintenance Organization affiliated with Athens Regional Medical Center. It is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the citizens of Northeast Georgia.
www.aahps.com
This website is a comprehensive resource for information on the company's health benefits and group insurance products. Interactive tools include DocFind(R), an online provider directory, and EZenroll, an online enrollment application.
www.aetna.com
Offer insurance and financial security products from disability insurance to cancer and annuity products. Focuses on marketing to the educational community, a broad range of employers as well as selected groups and trade associations. Headquart...
www.af-group.com
Services every aspect of one's financial needs, from disability, cancer or life insurance to annuities that plan for the future.
www.af-group.com
Provider of free quotes and advice for buying dental health insurance and discount plans that provide group, family and individual coverage.
www.affordable-dental-insurance-plans.biz
Nationally available group health insurance and medical employee benefit plans including Managed Care, PPO, Point of Service, and Indemnity.
www.aiba.com
US-based international insurance organization and underwriter of commercial and industrial coverages in the US.
www.aig.com
Presently licensed to operate as an insurance brokerage in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec, Canada.
www.alliance-assurance.com
Provider of term life and medical insurance products to people in Latin America and the Caribbean.
www.amedex.com
Specializes in health and life insurance for individuals and groups in AZ,IA,IL,IN,MI,MO,NE,OH,PA.
www.american-community.com
Provider of healthcare coverage exclusively to low-income families. Operates in the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Texas, and serves Medicaid and CHIP recipients nationally.
www.amerigrp.com
Health insurance company based in Brazil. The site is only in Portugese.
www.amil.com.br
Provider of ethical insurance products for churches, charities and voluntary groups.
www.ansvar.co.uk
Health and life insurer located in Des Moines. Site contains information about the company, current jobs, sales opportunities and products.
www.aric.com
Multiline insurance service corporation based in California. Associated with Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Calfarm, CareAmerica, Health Plan of the Redwoods, Kaiser, PacifiCare and Universal Care.
www.assuredhealth.com
The Company's central goal is to advance the cost-effective delivery of high quality health care in New York City by harnessing the skill, experience and knowledge of health care professionals at every step of the health care management and deli...
www.atlantishp.com
MedicalControl, Inc. is a holding company comprised of related operating companies serving the managed care industry and providing health benefit plan administration services.
www.avidyn.com
Blue Care Network of Michigan was formed February 1, 1998, when four regional Blue Care Network organizations based in Lansing, Southfield, Grand Rapids and Saginaw merged into a single company.
www.bcbsm.com
Non-profit making association to provide benefits for its members in times of ill-health. Private healthcare products include: private consultation and out-patient, day-patient and in-patient treatments, dental insurance and alternative treatmen...
www.bcwa.com
Group health insurance and managed care company serving Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, & Tennessee.
www.benicorp.com
Dedicated to the belief that the health and well-being of the people they serve is the most important aspect of what is done.
www.bgfh.com
Online guide to services offered including answers to questions, news, links, and more. Supplier of business strategy, technical support and consulting expertise, act as a Brand manager and a trade association representing the companies that ar...
www.bluecares.com
Affordable health care coverage, supplier of business strategy, technical support and consulting expertise.
www.bluecross.com
California health insurance broker. Products include medigap, individual, family, business and group health insurance.
www.bphealthinsurance.com
Provider of individual health insurance, including temporary plans, for kids, individuals and families based in Chicago, Illinois.
www.celtic-net.com
A fully integrated multi-state government services managed care company.
www.centene.com
Offers sales and member services, provider relations, provider credentialing, claims repricing and medical management.
www.centercare.com
Committed to serving people in the government-assisted population, those who need special access to primary and preventive health maintenance and treatment services.
www.chartered-health.com
San Diego's largest locally-based HMO with very affordable plans.
www.chgsd.com
Offers individual, home, and business insurance through offices throughout Canada.
www.chubbinsurance.ca
Offers property & casualty, group, and reinsurance as well as employee benefits programs.
www.cigna.nl
Offers property & casualty, group, and reinsurance as well as employee benefits programs.
www.cigna.nl
Offers business insurance worldwide, personal insurance worldwide, and life and health insurance worldwide. and bonds.
www.clements.com
Get health insurance online with TOWER. Choose from a range of affordable plans and get a quote to ensure you are covered for unexpected situations.
tower.co.nz
Find personal health insurance plans and quotes for individuals in GA, IN, MI, WI and WV.
www.consumerslifephp.com
Products include health care plans, life insurance, dental insurance, cancer, annuities, long-term care, home medical care, short-term medical and accident/disability.
www.continentalgeneral.com
Provider of insurance products to serving and retired civil servants and other public service employees.
www.csis.co.uk
Specialist in group and individual dental plans, the firm also serves as Galaxy PPO's exclusive online provider.
www.dentalplans.com
Multi-faceted information provider utilizing a communication technology system to deliver timely information.
www.dtniron.com
A World of Coverage - Free Health Insurance Quotes. Apply online and get covered today.
www.einsurance.com/health-insurance
An exclusive Kaiser Permanente Health Insurance agent offering affordable health and dental insurance coverage.
www.ekaiserinsurance.com
Parent/holding company with a high-tech operating unit which provides online insurance services. This company was capitalized by private investment and venture capital.
www.epolicy.com
Contracts with hospitals, physicians and other caregivers in Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.
www.fchn.com
BCBSF Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida health insurance plans. Online quotes for individual group health insurance policies in central and west FL.
www.floridahealthplansonline.com
Products include: traditional and manuscripted physician and hospital coverages, admitted and surplus lines products with multi-state capabilities, business and provider community programs, managed care and provider network program, for-profit a...
www.frontierhealthcare.net
Provides accessible, comprehensive, high quality health care services in an efficient and personalized manner on a prepaid basis to persons in GHC's service area.
www.ghc-hmo.com
Providing seniors with Globe Life Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance for over 40 years . Rated A+ Superior.
www.globecaremedsupp.com
Go Health Insurance Offering Individual, Family and Group Health and Medical Insurance Quotes.
www.gohealthinsurance.com
Provider of health insurance for groups and individuals, life insurance and annuities. Develops the Medical Savings Account concept. Authorized to do business in all states except New York.
www.goldenrule.com
Niche market provider of medical expenses protection for expatriates and local nationals.
www.goodhealth.co.uk
Shop For Group Medical Insurance Quotes Online!
GroupMedicalInsurance.us
A coalition of organizations that have a common mission: improve the health of the residents of the city of Hartford.
www.hchp.org
Provider of instant online quotes and rates for group and individual health plans from health insurance companies nationwide.
www.health-insurance-quotes-online.biz
Compare Individual and Group Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance Plans today. Health Insurance Finders helps you find affordable Insurance Quotes.
www.healthinsurancefinders.com
Get free rate quotes for Health Insurance. Individual, Group, Dental, Travel, Student and Medicare plans.
www.healthinsuranceplan.us
Find affordable health insurance plans. Search online for individual health insurance plans, family and group health insurance plans.
www.healthinsuranceplan.us
Compare individual health insurance quotes side-by-side, and online. It's easy.
www.healthinsurancesort.com
HealthNet is one of the region's leading managed health care organizations, serving the health care needs of more than 356,000 members in the bi-state Kansas City, Missouri and surrounding area.
www.healthnet-kc.com
Committed to giving the expanded health care choices in benefit levels, physician networks and care.
www.healthpartners.com
Nonprofit organization that provides individuals and employers in New Jersey with access to healthcare.
www.horizon-bcbsnj.com
Provides individuals and employers with convenient access to quality health care.
www.horizon-healthcare.com
The five-county Philadelphia area's largest health insurer with more than 2.7 million members and over 4,700 employees. The company annually processes more than 5.7 million claims, and responds to over 3.2 million customer inquiries.
www.ibx.com
Provides charitable, nonprofit health care to Utah and Idaho residents. Doctors, hospitals and health insurance plans work together for high quality care at a low cost.
www.ihc.com
International health insurance provider in Scandinavia, licensed in Denmark to provide services worldwide. Offers a diversified range of permanent plans covering hospitalization and medical expenses, and also travel insurance. Plans are availabl...
www.ihi.com
Provider of international insurance products for US expatriates and non-US citizens who travel or reside outside their country of citizenship.
www.imglobal.com
Provider of travel and health insurance for those traveling or temporarily residing outside their country of nationality.
www.internationalplan.com
Compare visitor insurance plans from AIG, Nationwide, Lloyds. Find medical coverage for foreign visitors to the US & US residents traveling abroad.
www.ivisitorinsurance.com
Nonprofit health-maintenance organization, serving members in several states. Site allows searches by services and by state, explains services and provides current health news.
www.kaiserpermanente.org
Insurance company offering financial products including mortgage, investment, savings and home, life and health insurance.
www.landg.com
Canadian-based company offering financial protection products and wealth management services worldwide.
www.manulife.com
A nonprofit corporation offering health services designed by the University of Michigan.
www.mcare.org
Offers employee plans for various businesses as well as other health related services.
www.medben.com
UK residents can purchase "Priority Care," a health care plan offering fully comprehensive protection. Non-UK residents can purchase, ExpaCare, insurance for expatriates.
www.medicus.co.uk
Provider of insurance and financial services for individuals or any size business, featuring health plans, life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, flood insurance and auto insurance.
www.mutualofomaha.com
Provider of health plans for businesses with 50 or more employees.
www.mutualofomaha.com
HMO covering the states of New York and Vermont. Website offers information on their plans, doctors, health tips, games and more.
www.mvphealthplan.com
Provides Free Instant Quotes and Comparisons on Individual and Family Health, Life, Dental, and Temporary Health Insurance From Multiple Providers.
MyInsuranceExpert.com
Provider of a variety of health insurance services to small business owners including dental and vision insurance and tax savings plans.
www.nasehealthinsurance.com
Markets PPO, HMO, and POS plans to Ohio employers through a direct sales staff, nationwide agents and independent brokers/consultants.
www.nationwidehealthplans.com
Find Top Offers for Health Insurance. Compare Health Insurance and Save.
www.netshoppers.com
Affordable health insurance for every situation. Lower your health premiums and increase benefits with a free online quote!
www.newhealthinsurance.com
Offers permanent whole life, term insurance, mortgage insurance, and coverage for final expenses and funerals as well as annuities, long term care, and rollover IRA programs.
www.newyorklife.com
Provides commercial lines of property and liability insurance and reinsurance, predominantly to industrial, mining, transportation, and financial services companies.
www.oldrepublic.com
Provides employers with managed care programs, such as HMOs and PPOs, which effectively control healthcare costs and ensure high-quality medical services locally where employees live.
www.osfhealthcare.org
Provides life and health insurance products, individual annuities and group employee benefits in various states.
www.pacificlife.com
Specializes in the underwriting, marketing and sale of long term care insurance ("LTCi") products on individual, franchise and group bases.
www.penntreaty.com
Provide a wide range of health and life insurance protection, plus tax-deferred annuities to policyowners in all walks of life all across the country.
www.physiciansmutual.com
Provider of HMO services, PPO services, third party administrators and certified managed care for workers compensation (CMCO).
www.preferredone.com
A membership discount plan that provides you and your family with substantial savings on prescriptions, dental, medical, vision, hearing and more.
www.procarecard.com
Site searchable by topic for information on services, including insurance, investments, real estate, financial planning and more. Also, provides access to accounts and answers to FAQs.
www.prudential.com
The company is based in Oklahoma and offers coverage for hospital expenses, Medicare supplement, hospital indemnity, specified disease and life insurance.
www.reservenational.com
Vertically integrated health care delivery system serving northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Located in Rockford, Illinois.
www.rhsnet.org
Self-supporting, not-for-profit publicly owned workers’ compensation insurance carrier serving only the state of Oregon.
www.saif.com
Offers home, auto, health, and business insurance and is wholly-owned by NRMA, Australia's largest general insurer.
www.sgio.com.au
Offers disability, educational, endowment, health, mortgage & credit life, personal accident, term, whole life, and critical illness insurance as well as annuity and superannuation products.
www.simaslife.com
Member of the Standard Life group, one of the UK's providers of private medical insurance and products include, comprehensive medical coverage, travel coverage, dental coverage, in-patient treatment, day care surgery, and out-patient treatment, ...
www.standardlifehealthcare.co.uk
Provides personalized, comprehensive, high quality health care, enhanced by medical education and research.
www.sw.org
Provider of health, life, managed care, disability, long-term care and dental products to the insured and their families.
www.trustmarkinsurance.com
UCare Minnesota exists to provide comprehensive health care to selected populations through a community based, holistic approach and to support family practice education and research so that this philosophy of care can be carried into the future...
www.ucare.org
UnitedHealthcare designs and operates health benefits systems with commercial, Medicare and Medicaid products. Today, the company serves approximately 8.6 million individual consumers as members of its health service systems.
www.uhc.com
A national organization dedicated to the delivery of quality health care plans and products working together with its customers, consultants, brokers, providers and employers.
www.unicare.com
Specializes in Medicare Supplements, Life and Health Insurance for the whole family.
www.unitedamerican.com
Companies of Fortis, Inc. are providers of group long term disability, life and dental insurance, provider excess, life and individual medical insurance, credit-related insurance and services, small group health plans, annuities, mutual funds a...
www.us.fortis.com
Integrated solutions for group managed care needs.
www.usamco.com
Online source for health insurance, information, and services.
www.ushealthplans.com
We offer multiple quotes in the area of health insurance online within minutes of signing up. Users can compare rates online with no obligation.
www.usinsuranceonline.com
Home office is in Austin, Texas. Specializes in providing Health, Life, and Annuities to Association payroll accounts as well as individuals. Company markets its products in 47 states and territories including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Isl...
www.utaic.com
A family of physicians and health care services that provide care across the span of life.
www.viahealth.org
Regional health care provider of health maintenance organizations (hmo), preferred provider organizations (ppo), point-of-service plans (pos), health plan administrative services.
www.wellpathchp.com
A full-service, not for profit health care plan operating in northern California in the following counties: Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, Western El Dorado, and Western Placer. Provider of a variety of health care products and services to meet the ...
www.westernhealth.com
Traditional whole life and term products are issued by The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company. Universal Life and annuity products are issued by Western-Southern Life Assurance Company.
www.westernsouthernlife.com
Financial services organization that provides mortgages, loans, investments, banking and insurance products and services.
www.woolwich.co.uk
One of the largest health insurers and administrators in Wisconsin, serving over 265,000 customers.
www.wpsic.com
Health, dental and prescription plans for individuals, associations and groups.
www.wws.org
International Health Insurance plans from various companies offered to cover medical expenses worldwide including your home country.
www.zinternationalinsurance.com
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While you no doubt want to provide group health insurance for your employee, there are many things that you can do when you are interested in making the most of health insurance. Health insurance is an important part of your benefits package and it's great to offer employees additional options.
Most importantly, your employees should be well informed about the health insurance plans that you offer so that they can make the right choices. It's up to you to make sure that they have everything they need.
As your employees think about their health coverage, make sure that they:
1. Understand the plans available. Some employers choose to offer a choice of health insurance companies to their employees. If this is true for you, it's important that employees have the information they need to understand how the different plans work.
2. Think about their health needs. Employees have different medical insurance needs at different stages of their lives. Younger employees, for example, may value maternity coverage, while older employees may care about prescription costs.
3. Know that they must follow the rules of the business health insurance plan. If they visit a doctor out of network, they may have to pay more.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Choose among the best health insurance options for you and your employees
Different companies look for different things when they try to choose a health insurance company. Some focus on quality while others focus on cost.
I recommend: If you are concerned about the cost of small business health insurance plans, look to eHealthInsurance for health insurance quotes. This helps you to compare rates and get the best deal. If you want to offer the highest quality plan to employees, check out the rankings by US News and World Reports.
Make sure that employees understand their COBRA health insurance options
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) helps employees who lose their health insurance benefits. It allows them to continue their coverage over a specified time period, assuming that they cover the payments.
I recommend: The U.S. Department of Labor is the premier source of information about COBRA benefits. COBRAInsurance.com also offers information on COBRA and can help employees with insurance quotes. Sometimes, a COBRA plan is more expensive than a new health insurance plan.
Use an HSA to help cover the costs that health insurance does not cover
All health insurance companies require patients to pay a certain percentage of their health care costs. Some insurance companies do not cover certain procedures. A health savings account (HSA) allows your employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for these expenses, saving them money.
I recommend: Understand how HSAs work by visiting the website of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Then, have employees sign up for accounts through HSA Bank, or another bank that offers health savings accounts.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • Providing employees with excellent health insurance options keeps them excited about your company. Periodically ask for employee feedback about their health insurance to make sure that you are giving them what they need.
Provides Free Instant Quotes and Comparisons on Individual and Family Health, Life, Dental, and Temporary Health Insurance From Multiple Providers.
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Quote and Compare Low-Cost Health Plans like Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Aetna, Kaiser & many more. Plans start from $50 per month.
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A World of Coverage - Free Health Insurance Quotes. Apply online and get covered today.
Any way you slice it, health insurance coverage is expensive. Major corporations can negotiate better rates because of the large numbers of employees, but small businesses with two to 50 employees don't have the clout to negotiate big volume discounts.
With costs skyrocketing, many small business owners are finding it more and more difficult to offer health insurance to employees. In turn, this makes it difficult to attract and retain quality people. There are three popular types of health insurance plans available:
- Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
- Preferred provider organizations (PPOs)
- Point of service plans (POSs)
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Know your HMOs, PPOs and POSs
The least expensive and least flexible plans are HMOs, which require employees to choose a primary care physician from an approved provider list. Premiums are higher with PPOs, which allow employees to visit any doctor, but charge more if the doctor isn't in their network. POS plans combine elements of HMOs and PPOs, with employees choosing a primary care physician but retaining the ability to see any doctor for a higher fee.
I recommend: Get a clearer picture of the various types of plans in the Health Insurance Buyers Guide at BuyerZone.com or at HealthInsurance.com.
Explore health savings accounts (HSA)
You may be able to control health insurance costs with an HSA. With HSAs, employers and employees make pre-tax contributions to an account. Funds in the account can be used for routine and preventative medical care. HSAs are usually combined with a high-deductible insurance plan. Any funds in HSAs that aren't used by the end of the year typically roll over to the following year.
I recommend: Get more details on how you can reduce costs with an HSA at First Horizon Msaver and download "Answering Your Questions About Health Savings Accounts" at the Council for Affordable Health Insurance.
Consider using a health insurance broker
In some states, you can purchase insurance directly from a provider; in others, you're required by state law to use a broker. Even if you aren't required to do so, it may be beneficial to use a broker. Brokers are very familiar with the various plans available and can quickly determine which plans fit your needs and your budget. And since they also handle dental and vision insurance, you can take care of all your health insurance needs with one person.
I recommend: Look for a broker who has experience helping small businesses in your industry at the National Association of Health Underwriters.
Offer dental and vision insurance
Many businesses realize that one way to attract and retain good employees is to add dental and/or vision insurance to the list of benefits. The options for dental insurance can be just as confusing as those for health insurance, but vision plans are typically more basic. A broker can help you find the right plan for your business.
I recommend: Get the basics on dental and vision plans in the Dental and Vision Insurance Buyer's Guide at BuyerZone.com, where you can also find free quotes.
Decide who pays
There are a number of ways to cover the costs of health insurance premiums and each will impact your budget and your ability to attract employees. For instance, if you pay the entire cost of the premium, your budget may take a hit, but it may make your company more desirable to high-quality employee. Other options include paying the employee's premium but asking them to pay premiums for additional family members or asking workers to pay a percentage of their premium.
I recommend: Get small business group rate quotes and compare plans online at eHealthInsurance.com. Discover some of the many options for cost containment at HealthInsurance.com, which also offers a cost calculator to help you determine the smartest contribution formula for your business.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • Check with superstores, such as Costco, in your area. Some have begun offering small business group health insurance.
- • Having healthier employees can help lower costs. Encourage health and wellness among your employees.
- • Be cautious when buying health insurance. If a price seems too low, you might want to check with your local states' insurance commission to make sure that company or broker has not had any complaints.
- • Be prepared for an annual rate hike. Most insurers are increasing their rates each year, so build the increase into your budget.
- • Sometimes you can find a good deal on health insurance for your small business by joining the local chamber of commerce. Most chambers are now offering group health insurance policies for their members.
Provides Free Instant Quotes and Comparisons on Individual and Family Health, Life, Dental, and Temporary Health Insurance From Multiple Providers.
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As an employer, a good health insurance industry overview helps you to understand your choices and responsibilities. Providing health insurance plans to your employees can be a costly endeavor, so you should thoroughly examine all of your options.
When you want to purchase business health insurance, it's best to talk to an insurance agent. Agents have relationships with the health insurance companies and can sometimes negotiate lower rates.
Consider the following before you look for health insurance quotes:
1. The law does not require you to provide health coverage to your employees. However, health insurance is one of the benefits that many employees have come to expect. When you offer medical insurance, you can attract a higher caliber of employee.
2. If you have more employees, you can get a better deal on health insurance coverage. Brokers prefer to work with large groups of employees because they can offer a discounted rate. Small business owners with just a few employees may have to pay higher costs, but there are alternatives.
3. Many companies offer employees a variety of health insurance options. This allows employees to pick the plan that best fits with their budget and health needs.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Purchase group health insurance from the major carriers
You should always check that a company offers coverage in your area before you purchase insurance through them. Some insurance companies are industry leaders and offer programs in a variety of states.
I recommend: Blue Cross and Blue Shield is one of the most popular choices for health insurance because they offer a service in many areas. Kaiser Permanente, Aetna, and Cigna are also great insurance companies.
Save money by purchasing health insurance through a professional employers organization
Small businesses face the challenge of finding quality health insurance plans at a price they can afford. With just a few employees, they may not be able to get the same discounts that large companies receive. Nonetheless, most small businesses want to offer coverage to employees.
I recommend: Professional Employers Organizations (PEOs) may be the answer. Due to a larger number of members, the organization is often able to negotiate a discount on health insurance. Employers Choice Plus offers access to many different insurance companies. You may also want to search StaffMarket for a PEO in your area.
Include dental health coverage to round out your plan
Not all health insurance plans include dental coverage. You may have to purchase a ride on plan or choose a completely different company for dental coverage. Check with your chosen provider to see if they offer dental benefits.
I recommend: Delta Dental and Humana Dental are popular insurance programs that only cover dental benefits.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • If you are self employed, health insurance can be quite costly. Try joining a professional organization to receive discounts on group plans.
Provides Free Instant Quotes and Comparisons on Individual and Family Health, Life, Dental, and Temporary Health Insurance From Multiple Providers.
Individual | Family | Instant Quotes | Live Help
Quote and Compare Low-Cost Health Plans like Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Aetna, Kaiser & many more. Plans start from $50 per month.
Short Term | Individual Health | HSA | PPO
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Health insurance protects you and your employees by covering many of the expensive medical costs that may be incurred as a result of illness, injury or a routine physical examination. While some services are free, employers and employees are usually required to pay a monthly premium as determined by the health insurance provider. Overall, factors involved in choosing health insurance include the availability of doctors, covered expenses, out-of-pocket fees for office visits and cost of prescriptions. Some common health insurance terminology can help determine which coverage makes a good fit in terms of affordability and quality.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Co-payment
Patients are required to make a co-payment under most health insurance plans. A co-payment is a set fee, such as $5 or $10, for a doctor or a hospital visit at the time of service. The health insurance provider covers the remainder of the medical bill. Co-payments apply mostly to routine services.
I recommend: The Insurance Information Institute provides further resources on health insurance and co-payments. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association provides an overview of how co-payments are applied.
In-network versus out-of-network
A doctor or a hospital that is 'in-network' holds a contract with certain health insurance providers. Therefore, certain fees are negotiated between the physician and the insurer for medical services, which can sometimes be a cost savings benefit for you and your employees. 'Out-of-network' means a doctor or hospital does not work with certain health insurers. When using out-of-network providers, coverage may be denied and you're held responsible for the bill.
I recommend: Details about in-network and out-of-network coverage are available at HealthCare.com and HealthInsuranceControl.
Deductible
Deductibles are the up-front fees you must pay before health insurances picks up the tab for the rest. Costs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the insurer. Deductibles usually apply to insured members who have surgery or other extended medical treatment.
I recommend: GoHealthInsurance sorts out the basics of health insurance premiums and deductibles.
HMO versus PPO
An HMO, or a health-maintenance organization, is a managed-care plan that requires members to get referrals from their primary-care physician before seeking treatment, or else coverage may be denied. A PPO, or Preferred Provider Organization, is another type of managed-care plan that gives you more choices when choosing physicians. In a PPO, members also have more freedom to go to a specialist without a referral from a primary-care doctor.
I recommend: The California Office of the Patient Advocate gives more information on how an HMO works. CIGNA is an example of a health-insurance provider that presents features and benefits of PPOs and how they work.
Open enrollment
Open enrollment, which is held annually, is the time period that gives employees the opportunity to apply for certain health insurance programs. Applicants are not required to present proof of insurability during this time period and can avoid the coverage delays or higher premiums sometimes associated with pre-existing medical conditions. Open enrollment lasts for up to 30 days.
I recommend: Planforyourhealth offers tips on open enrollment.
Drug formulary
Health insurance companies follow a drug formulary, which is an approved list of prescription medications that they cover.
I recommend: Group Health Cooperative has a search option for brand name and generic prescription drugs.
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