Anyone starting a business in the Hoosier state should become familiar with the subject of health insurance in Indiana. The Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 requires any business with more than 25 employees to provide basic health coverage. If you're starting a small business, or are changing your employee health plans, you need to know everything you can about Indiana health insurance carriers and their available plans to provide adequate insurance without bankrupting your business.

Various Indiana health insurance plans exist, even for group coverage. You have many options and several choices to make regarding cost, extent of medical coverage and whether to bundle other plans such as dental or life insurance. This guide can provide answers to the following questions:

1. How can you find the right Indiana health insurance providers?

2. What are your options for bundling insurance plans?

3. What will an Indiana health insurance policy for groups cost you?

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

Locate Indiana health insurance carriers

Start looking for group insurance plans for your employees by weighing your options. There are several major insurance carriers in the state, so look at their coverage choices to see which plans will provide the most benefit to you and your employees. Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of each.

I recommend: Check into the pool of Indiana health insurance companies by searching at Buyerzone, where you can enter your city or town to find carriers. Investigate a few of the major providers in Indiana by going through the Indiana Insurance Group, or look at the plans available through Assurant Health.

Provide comprehensive coverage and save money by bundling your Indiana health insurance plans

Cut your costs by bundling your coverages into one plan. By combining Indiana health insurance policies with vision, dental and life insurance, all with one carrier, you can get lower rates overall than if you paid for separate plans. Procure more comprehensive coverage for your employees and save your business money at the same time. This will make them happier and improve your bottom line.

I recommend: Check your bundling options at United Health Care. Also look into the possibility of bundling at UniCare, which carries medical and dental, or Nefouse & Associates, which has medical and dental/vision plans. Both companies serve small businesses.

Get price quotes on Indiana health insurance policies with different options

Ultimately, you want the best health plans possible for a reasonable price. With all the available plans, you have some decisions to make. Do you want to include plans for extra benefits like vision? Do you want to go with an HMO, or spring for a more expensive PPO plan?

I recommend: Request quotes for different plans from Indiana health insurance providers like MedPlan Access and Health Plan One.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many health insurance plans in Indiana provide for the coverage of family members of the primary insured. Keep this option in mind, and decide whether it is one you would like to offer your employees.