We are meeting with our health insurance broker tomorrow to review and select options in providing our employees HMO/PPO health insurance benefits.  We have many options, and many rates in front of us between two insurers.  Would you be able to suggest a few key critical review questions we should be asking our broker both from the perspectives of 1) lowest cost options to the company and 2) acceptable employee options?  We have under 50 employees now, and are going to contribute 50% to the plan for the employees.  None of us are experts in benefits, so we want to be sure we are making the choices in both the best interest of the company and to our employees which range in age from 22 to 75, half of which are over 50. 

From a benefits perspective, you certainly know more about what it takes to attract and retain employees in your industry. My recommendation is to make sure you get all the numbers to make your health insurance spreadsheet for comparison and know how high a health insurance deductible your group will be able to tolerate (the higher the health insurance deductible, the lower the monthly health insurance rate). Depending on the group of employees and creative strategies allowed in your state, some companies are able to create reimbursement packages for employees such that they buy their own health insurance and/or receive HSA contributions from the employer.

Buying health insurance will be an annual exercise for your company, and of course there are other options such as employee leasing companies that can handle all of these details for you. Be sure to check out news stories (such as those from the LA Times and the Wall Street Journal) on these health insurers as well as to check them out via the free online databases in the health insurance resources center. You may also wish to make sure you are considering all of your options by looking at the insurers rated best at in the health insurance resource center and ensuring that you have health insurance quotes from them.

Best wishes on your search.

Jonathan Pletzke is a consumer expert on health insurance and author of the health insurance book Get a Good Deal on Your Health Insurance Without Getting Ripped-Off, available online and at bookstores nationally. Additional details can be found at the consumers health insurance book and resources website www.BestHealthInsuranceBook.com. Copyright 2007-2008 Aji Publishing.