Iowa group health insurance must cover at least two full-time taxable employees or other groups such as professional trade associations or labor unions. The provider usually writes one master contract to cover the entire group.

Iowa group health insurance plans also can save money for a small business in other ways. A group health plan distributes the financial risk, which usually results in greater coverage and lower premiums. Iowa group insurance also offers tax advantages because the employer contributions are usually tax deductible.

There are three key points that affect the premiums of IA group health insurance plans:

1. The preferred provider organization. A health provider generally must be a member of the plan's PPO before Iowa group health insurance companies will pay for treatments. Ensure there are enough PPO members in your area to handle your employee’s medical needs.

2. The amount that the employee pays before an Iowa group insurance company will cover the costs of treatment. A higher deductible usually means a lower premium.

3. The maximum amount that group health insurance in Iowa will pay. This is known as the benefit cap or coverage limit.

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

Contact an Iowa group health insurance company that specializes in small business insurance

Your employees may be best served by a company with experience in providing health insurance for a small business rather than one that deals with large corporations.

I recommend: Contact Solutions Insurance directly by email or phone. This company specializes in small businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

Request a quote for group health insurance in Iowa

Group medical insurance in Iowa almost always has a much lower health requirement for its policy holders. The premiums are also lower than they are for individual health insurance plans.

I recommend: Complete and submit the quote request form about your business at HealthFirm Insurance. This company only handles health insurance and is licensed in Iowa and Illinois.

Look at plans from major Iowa group medical insurance providers

It is helpful to know the major health insurance companies in your area. This allows you to determine the best policy for your small business more easily.

I recommend: Compare the plans that are available through MultiQuote Insurance. This company represents several major insurance carriers in Iowa, especially Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Other health insurance providers include Celtic and Golden Rule.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Offer a consumer-driven group health insurance plan for employees who want more control over their health care. This type of Iowa group medical insurance usually offsets a low-cost, high-deductible plan with Health Reimbursement Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. This allows the member to manage medical expenditures more closely than with a traditional health care plan.
• •  Provide a customized health care plan for your part-time and temporary employees. Group health insurance providers in Iowa 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.