Alaska group health insurance usually covers the entire group with a single master contract. The group may consist of employees in a business, a professional trade organization or labor unions. Alaska insurance laws require the group to consist of at least two full-time members.

Alaska group medical insurance provides small businesses with other advantages besides medical care for employees. It also offers tax benefits because the employer contributions are tax deductible. Alaska group insurance plans usually have lower premiums and greater coverage because the financial risk is distributed between all the members.

There are three factors to consider when evaluating an AK group health insurance plan:

1. There must be enough members of the Alaska group medical insurance plan's provider network in your area to cover the medical requirements of your group.

2. The deductible must be appropriate to the general health of your employees. Alaska group health insurance plans that have a deductible that is too low can be just as costly as those that are too high.

3. Carefully determine the coverage limit an Alaska group insurance policy will pay based on your employees' overall health.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain an Alaska group health insurance plan from a specific broker

A broker represents a group of major insurance companies and has experience in bringing these providers together with employers seeking group health insurance. Additionally, often you will have a broker though which you would like to obtain all of your insurance.

I recommend: Contact Halcyon Financial, Inc. by email or phone for AK group insurance. This company is a full service health insurance firm based in Anchorage.

Get group medical insurance in Alaska through a professional association

Trade organizations that already offer health insurance can be an effective method of reducing health care costs, especially for very small businesses.

I recommend: Join the Alaska Support Industry Alliance if your small business is eligible for membership. Generally, it must be related to the oil, gas and mineral industry in Alaska.

Apply for enrollment directly with a carrier of group health insurance in Alaska

You should apply directly if you have already decided on the carrier, especially if you don't have a broker.

I recommend: Go to Premera Blue Cross of Alaska and complete the needed enrollment forms for AK group health insurance. This website also allows employers to manage their account online.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  An Alaska group insurance company can frequently offer a plan that offsets a low-cost, high-deductible plan with Health Reimbursement Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. This allows employees to be more engaged in their health care than would normally be possible with a traditional health care plan since the expenditures can be monitored more closely.
• •  Provide a customized health care plan for your part-time and temporary employees. Group health insurance providers in Alaska frequently will offer these employees a less expensive plan that provides basic coverage for essential benefits in addition to discounts on some services that are not covered outright. A part-time employee also is eligible to use a Flexible Spending Account to manage health care costs.