If you work as an independent contractor or decide to start your own business you are definitely going to want self employed health insurance. Your goal will be to find a customized plan that is affordable and also meets your particular health care needs. Since you are involved in your product or service every day, you will also need an uncomplicated plan that can be monitored easily. In other words, you will be your own HR department. The tips that follow should make that important task easier:

1. Options for Choosing a Doctor

Think about how much staying with a doctor you now have or choosing your own doctor matters to you. For example, traditional health plans are more flexible, but you must also be prepared to pay a higher premium. PPO, POS and HMO plans, which are discussed below, are all less expensive, but they also have many more restrictions in the health care choices subscribers are allowed to make.

2. Consult with a Professional Medical Insurance Agent and Discuss the Following Plans:

• Health Maintenance organizations (HMOs) – Generally, these plans are the most affordable plans, and they provide comprehensive coverage and a health care provider network as well. Subscribers are required to select a Primary Care Physician (PCP) when they enroll.
• Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) – These plans are quite flexible, and subscribers can see any health care provider they choose and still be covered for the service, They can also visit an out-of-network provider without obtaining a referral in order to be covered.
• Point of Service Plans (POS) – They combine the benefits of PPO and HMO plans. Subscribers are required to select a primary care physician within the plan’s network, but they are also covered if they see any health care provider.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) plans – They include a Health Savings Account (HSA) and a high deductible that provides catastrophic coverage and charges a low monthly premium. With an HSA, subscribers save tax-free funds for their health care services, and those who are self-employed can makes deposits in their HSA for their future medical needs.

3. Consider the Tax-Saving Benefits of your Health Plan.

Because health insurance for the self-employed is legally classified as a business expense, the related costs are tax deductible. This is a major advantage, because many of those who are self-employed are unable to earn any of the discounts that a company with many employees would receive. Otherwise, they must belong to an association or buy coverage through some other group. In order to deduct their insurance expenses from their federal income tax, subscribers must not be covered by their spouses group health insurance policy, and the tax deduction taken cannot exceed the net profit from the subscriber’s business.

4. Think about Getting Group Health Insurance.

This type of insurance is less expensive because the risk associated with it is spread over a large group of people—such as a union, alumni association or trade association—or through the subscribers state government. As a rule, it includes two or three options, such as a high-deductible plan with an HSA, a PPO or an HMO. In this case, the premiums vary from the least expensive plan to the most expensive option. If your health is relatively good and your prescriptions costs are minimal, you will probably want to choose the high-deductible health plan that includes an HSA. This will enable you to deposit funds in a tax-deductible savings account that can be used for your future medical expenses.

5. Use all the Resources that are Available to You.

Note that your small business organization or local Chamber of Commerce may be able to assist you in finding a small group plan that will lower the cost of buying health insurance as a self-employed person. Your top priority should be finding a policy that protects both you and your family from huge medical bills that would undermine your financial health.

Comparing Quotes

Finally, once you have tapped all your resources and reviewed some insurance plans, the next step is to look for some health insurance quotes online. You will have discovered that premiums vary widely, and even though you have found a plan that seems right for you, you will also want something that you can use as a basis for comparison. Begin by visiting health insurance comparison sites and indicate your specifications as to the kind of health care insurer you need. Then, you will find a list of providers that you can review by premium, deductible and other related factors in making your decision. You will also discover that it is quick and easy to use, and this is not surprising since Kiplingers considers it to be the best health insurance website.

Author Bio: Susan is a freelance writer for a site that compares health insurance coverage from the top health insurance providers. She is also a part-time teacher. Her favorite thing to do outside of work is to ride her bike through the woods with her husband.

Related posts:

1. Save the Most Money Possible and Be Insured: 4 Money Saving Tips for Small Business Insurance
2. Time For Small Businesses To Re-Shop Health Insurance Plans
3. Health Insurance Reform Explained: Small Business Video Tutorial

Health Insurance Reform explained in a way that small business owners can understand. If you pay for health coverage for employees and are one of the 80% of businesses in the US who have fewer than 10 employees, this video was made for you. The Kaiser Family Foundation has distilled down the basics of the complex law – which ran over 1000 pages in tiny print, so that we can understand how to use the provisions of that law to help us cover our employees.

Transcript:

Let’s face it folks, the new health care reform law is complex, it runs about a thousand pages, even in tiny print, so it’s no surprise that very few Americans have actually read it. But it’s about to affect all of us, and many have been wondering what it will mean for our health, our wallets, and our country.

Let’s say we take all three hundred ten million Americans and squish us down to just twenty five people. Yep, each of these folks would represent about twelve million of us, and this is pretty much what we’d look like.

Polls show about three out of ten of us say health care reform will make us better off. A similar number say worse off. And a similar number again say it won’t make much difference at all. Some of us don’t know what to think. I guess you could say we’re kind of split on this one.

But, no matter where you stand on the issue, it’s likely you’re thinking, “Hello, I got some basic questions still unanswered here,” and you deserve real answers, not the partisan rhetoric and spin we’ve been flooded with.

So let’s break down what the reform law does and doesn’t do and what it will cost. If you want to read the whole law, go ahead. But watching this video is the next best thing.

Ready to jump in? Let’s begin with the problems in our current healthcare system. Problem number one is what problem number one usually is – money.

Most people agree that health insurance policies are too expensive. For a family, the average premium is almost $14,000 a year and growing. Premiums have doubled over the last 9 years, ballooning way faster than inflation. Plus our population is aging, meaning more people with more health problems. So, health care costs to the fastest growing part of the federal budget.

The second problem is that the system is full of holes. Like the fact that people buying insurance on their own can be turned down for having a pre-existing health condition. Small businesses may be charged extra if some of the workers are sick, making insurance unaffordable. And some insurance policies have a lifetime limit on benefits. After that, you’re out of luck. That means, some of the people least likely to have coverage are the ones who need it most. Nice, huh?

High cost and holes in the system mean more than one in seven of us have no health insurance to protect us at all. Many more struggle to pay their bills and can only afford bare minimum policies that may not cover much.

High cost to households, strain on the federal budget, and people with no protection, it’s easy to see why many people were looking for something different. So, here’s what the health reform law plans to do in its first phase between now and 2014.

To start dealing with cost, insurers will be limited in how they spend our premium dollars. If they use too much for administrative costs or profits they’ll be forced to give some of it back through rebates. This won’t stop premium increases but it may help some. Some services will become free, and all new private insurance policies, and in Medicare, preventative care, like screenings, and vaccinations.

People on Medicare, because they’re over sixty five or disabled, forget more help with their drug cost. Young people can save money and stay insured by remaining on their parents’ policies up to age twenty six. And some small businesses would get tax breaks to help them pay for health insurance for their workers.

And the holes? Well some will be closed starting now to lifetime limits on health coverage will be gone, whether you buy insurance on your own, or get it from your employer. And it will be illegal to turn kids down, for having a preexisting health condition like asthma or diabetes.

While some adults who buy insurance on their own, will still be getting rejected between now and 2014, those who do, can enter something called a high risk pool, run by the government. No, it’s more like a policy, that covers the sickest uninsured people, meaning it’s riskier for insurance companies. That’s why the government will chip in some money, to bring down the cost.

Some say these high risk pools will help a lot of people. Others say the pools will still be too expensive and may not have enough government money to stay in business until they’re replaced by something better, in phase two. On New Years Day 2014, some big changes kick in.

First, let’s look at how the law makes health care more affordable. Medicaid will be expanded to cover all low income individuals and families in every state. And, depending on what you make, if you lose your job or your employer doesn’t provide decent coverage, you may get a health insurance tax credit.

And while most of us will continue to get health insurance at work, just like now, if you don’t have that option you’ll be able to buy coverage in what’s called an exchange. You’ll be hearing a lot about them, so let’s stop and look athow they work.

An exchange is like a virtual insurance megamall. Based on where you live, you’ll get an easy to understand menu of options to compare plans in plain English, and the exchange makes sure insurance companies compete fairly under strict rules. The idea is that by giving consumers good information, a fair playing field, and access to lots of choices, competition among insurers will keep rates competitive. Now, on to plugging the holes.

In 2014, insurers will no longer be able to turn people down or charge them more if they’re sick. You might say, “Hold on a minute, if I can’t be turned down or charged more, why not just wait until I get sick or injured to buy insurance at all?” Not so fast, buddy. See, with few exceptions, people will be required to have insurance or pay a special tax. Same with larger businesses, who will pay fines if they don’t insure their workers.

Of course, nobody likes being told they have to buy anything, but without this rule, experts say you can’t require that everyone be eligible for coverage. Imagine telling home insurers they have to cover people whose houses are already on fire! So, the government will provide credits, expanded programs and new rules.

They say that by 2019, 32 million of us who don’t have health insurance will have it. Some of those who will still be uninsured: undocumented immigrants who aren’t eligible for coverage under the law. No surprise!

All this is gonna cost money, 938 billion dollars over the next ten years, according to the congressional budget office, the impartial referee when congress debates these kinds of things. It’s a lot of money, sure, but if you look at it another way, it’s two percent of our federal budget, and three percent of what we’ll be spending on healthcare overall.

Now, the president and Congress insisted these new costs will be paid for, so they don’t push the budget deficit up any further. That means money will come out of someone’s pocket. That’s where the tough politics come in. A lot of savings will come from health care providers, and insurers in the Medicare program.

The fees the government pays hospitals under Medicare won’t be allowed to rise as fast as they have been. And insurance companies that provide services to people on Medicare will be paid less. Medicare will also create a bunch of experiments around the country to test different ways of paying doctors, hospitals, and other providers to make the health care system more efficient and improve the quality of care.

With luck some of these experiments will work, then be adopted by the private sector. This will help lower costs for employers and families at least two. Plus, a new federal advisory board will make recommendations about other ways to deal with increases in health care costs. Some taxes will go up too people with high earnings would pay higher Medicare taxes.

There’ll be new taxes on insurers and businesses who offer high-end benefit plans, and on companies that make medical devices and drugs and, oh, anyone who visits a tanning salon now has to pay a new tax too. With these new cost cutting measures, and new taxes, the Congressional Budget Office says the whole package will actually reduce the federal deficit over the next ten years.

Of course, the total federal deficit is expected to run into the trillions, so the health reform law isn’t going to solve that problem.

Well, that’s the reform law. Do you love it? Hate it? Still don’t know? Either way, there’s still a lot of work ahead. You’ll be hearing lots of different things about this law.

Some people support reform, and if anything want to expand it and increase government oversight of insurers in the health care industry. Others oppose it and think it creates too big a role for the government.

Some states have even gone to court claiming the requirement that everyone buy insurance is unconstitutional. Politicians and pundits will be talking to you as if you’ve got no idea what’s in that thousand page law. But by watching this, you’re on your way to getting informed. And you can make sure your friends and family are, too, just by passing this little video around.

Related posts:

1. Video of Barack Obama Health Care Reform Speech
2. Health Savings Accounts and Health Care Reform
3. Health Care Reform Speech by President Barack Obama 9-09-2009

Are you getting the most of your group health insurance plan? Maybe its time to Re-shop and make sure you are getting the most for your small business dollars. It might be time to discuss a healthy lifestyle approach with your employees, as we know healthier people go to the doctor less. Shopping and Re-shopping for group health insurance plans should be a part of your yearly agenda. Checking to make sure you are getting all the new tax credits and other benefits. With all the new changes to healthcare and I am sure more to come, it would be smart business to make sure you are on top of the latest health insurance news.

Small Businesses May Be Overlooking Health Care Reform Provisions: eHealthInsurance Provides 5 Tips

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA–(Marketwire – May 10, 2011) – Today eHealthInsurance (NASDAQ: EHTH), the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, published tips for small business owners who may not be taking full advantage of benefits provided by health care reform legislation.


While the cost of providing group health insurance for employees has increased substantially over the past decade (1), the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010 has opened new opportunities for small businesses. Many of today’s small employers are aware of the new tax credits available when they provide health insurance for their employees, but eHealthInsurance has found (2) that many of today’s small business owners are not taking advantage of other available provisions.

The following tips are specifically addressed to small business owners who currently provide employee health insurance coverage, and who are concerned about costs and curious about the special opportunities health care reform may provide them.

Tips for Small Business Health Insurance Re-shoppers

TIP #1 — Don’t leave benefits on the table — If you haven’t re-shopped group health insurance plans recently, you may not know about the improved benefits available on all new employer-based health plans. Group health insurance policies purchased after September 23, 2010 now include free preventive care screenings; they also do away with lifetime limits for most covered medical services.

If your current group health insurance plan (i.e. a “grandfathered” plan) doesn’t provide these sorts of benefits, it may be time to take another look at your options. You may find comparably priced plans on the market that offer better coverage.

TIP #2 — Talk with your employees — If you’re finding it hard to afford your current health insurance plan, talk to your employees before you start to shop for a new one. If they’re educated about the new benefits resulting from health care reform, they may be more open to changes in their current coverage, such as increased cost-sharing or the adoption of high-deductible plans and Health Savings Accounts.

In some states, it is illegal to ask specific questions about an employee’s health status. So, to safely help yourself understand their coverage preferences, create an anonymous survey for your employees to fill out. Ask them to identify the kinds of benefits they most value. It may be, for instance, that they don’t value dental coverage as much as prescription drug coverage. By making the survey anonymous, you can stay on the right side of privacy considerations and get a more honest account of what’s important to your employees.

TIP #3 — Encourage employee wellness — Wellness is always a good strategy because small group health insurance policies cost less when you have a healthy group. Encourage employees to exercise at lunch and stock your break room with healthier snacks. Encourage preventive medical care too. Many small employers don’t have human resources departments, but there are online resources available that advise people when to get scheduled screenings and check-ups.

If you’ve already purchased a post-reform health plan with improved coverage, encourage your employees to take advantage of the preventive screening benefits that are now available with no out-of-pocket cost. Preventive screenings and regular checkups can go a long way towards helping you ensure a healthy workforce and minimizing sick days in the future.

TIP #4 — Shop and re-shop — Whether or not you’re currently struggling under the cost of group health insurance, it can pay to shop around and explore new options. Re-shopping at least once every year or two (in the same way you might for automobile insurance) can help you save money and feel confident you’re getting the most out of your health insurance dollars.

Work with a licensed health insurance agent like eHealthInsurance to make sure you have the right plan for your needs and budget. An agent can highlight special considerations, answer questions, help you manage the enrollment process, and serve as your advocate with the insurance company. It doesn’t cost anything extra to work with a licensed agent.

TIP #5 — Don’t forget those tax credits! — Remember that for the 2010-2013 tax years small businesses with fewer than 25 full-time employees (or an equivalent number of part-time employees) and average annual wages of $50,000 or less may qualify for tax credits if they provide group health insurance and pay at least 50% of employee monthly premiums. Businesses that qualify for the maximum credit (i.e. those with fewer than 10 employees and average wages of $25,000 or less) will receive a tax credit equivalent to 35% of the amount paid toward employee health insurance premiums. There are similar credits available for non-profit organizations too. Talk to your accountant to learn more.

Additional Resources:

• Check out the ‘Health Insurance for Entrepreneurs’ buyer’s guide, specially designed for small business owners and self-employed persons.
• Self-employed persons and small business owners interested in understanding their group health insurance options are also encouraged to contact eHealthInsurance by phone at 1-877-456-6670.

NOTES:
1. For analysis of these trends, see the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Employer Health Benefits 2010 Annual Survey: http://ehbs.kff.org/.
2. Through contacts made in the eHealthInsurance customer care center where licensed small business health insurance agents regularly work with small business owners exploring their health insurance options.

About eHealth
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) is the parent company of eHealthInsurance, the nation’s leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses. Through the company’s website, www.eHealthInsurance.com, consumers can get quotes from leading health insurance carriers, compare plans side by side, and apply for and purchase health insurance. eHealthInsurance offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by more than 180 of the nation’s leading health insurance companies. eHealthInsurance is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, making it the ideal model of a successful, high-functioning health insurance exchange. Through the company’s eHealthTechnology solution (www.eHealthTechnology.com), eHealth is also a leading provider of health insurance exchange technology. eHealthTechnology’s exchange platform provides a suite of hosted e-commerce solutions that enable health plan providers, resellers and government entities to market and distribute products online. eHealth, Inc. also provides powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help seniors navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online through its wholly-owned subsidiary, PlanPrescriber.com (www.planprescriber.com) and through its Medicare website www.eHealthMedicare.com.

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1. Self Employed: 5 Tips for Saving Money on Health Insurance
2. Health Insurance Reform Explained: Small Business Video Tutorial
3. Small Business Health Insurance Worries for Business Owners

Running a small business where you have employees that you’ve hired for your business can be an exciting and rewarding experience. As with any small-business owner, though, it can be difficult to find a balance between keeping your employees happy and making a decent profit. Offering medical insurance to your employees is something you can do to keep your employees happy and healthy and will boost morale at the same time. But health insurance can get expensive, which is why you should take some time to get a variety of medical insurance quotes before making a final decision.

One way you can get medical insurance quotes is to contact the insurance companies directly. They are likely going to ask you a lot of information about your business and the number of employees you have in order to determine what will be the best plan for you. Make sure you write down all of the information you are given so you can compare it to the costs of other companies. Also, ensure that you are comparing what is covered with the insurance as well.

Did you know that you can compare medical insurance quotes online? Although some smaller insurance companies do not yet have this functionality, almost all of the major companies do. To get a quote, all you need to do is fill in some information about your business, including the size of your business, the number of employees, and the type of insurance you want. Then, it will give you an estimate of what you can expect to pay for your insurance.

When comparing medical insurance quotes, keep your employees in mind. What is their overall state of health? Their average age? These are all things that will factor into what you will need to pay for them to have medical insurance. Additionally, what is the nature of your business? Health insurance for construction workers is going to cost more than if your employees work in an office. It all has to do with the amount of risk and the likelihood that your employees will need to use their insurance.

Decide whether or not you will be offering the insurance standard to all of your employees or if you want it to be an opt-in type of situation. Although most of your employees will certainly want to take advantage of the insurance, some might be getting insurance elsewhere. Similarly, decide whether you are going to be charging your employees for the insurance. You have the choice of offering it just as a perk or as an optional add-on.

Once you have taken a look at as many medical insurance quotes as you can and have decided how you would like your small businesses medical insurance to work, it’s time to finally make a decision on which company you are going with. Try to find a happy medium between great coverage and a great price. It’s a fact that your employees will be happier and as such, their morale and production will go up. They just might improve the profits of your business, and the insurance will pay for itself!

Vincent P. King is a freelance writer who writes about health insurance. His goal is to help freelancers, small business owners and others learn about their self employed health insurance options.

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3. How to Report Health Insurance Fraud to State Department of Insurance

PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — What are the top security and privacy issues facing the healthcare industry in 2011? A panel of healthcare experts representing privacy, trends, technology, regulatory, data breach, and governance were asked to weigh in with their forecasts for 2011. These experts suggest that as health information exchanges take form, millions of patient records???soon to be available as digital files???will lead to potential unauthorized access, violation of new data breach laws and, more importantly, exposure to the threat of medical and financial identity theft.

These predictions are supported by the recent Ponemon Institute’s Benchmark Study on Patient Privacy and Data Security, published November 2010, which found that data breaches of patient information cost the healthcare industry $6 billion annually; protecting patient data is a low priority for hospitals; and the healthcare industry lags behind the recently enacted HITECH laws.

The top predictions for 2011 include:

1. Health information exchanges, many of which will be launched by inexperienced and understaffed organizations, will force more attention on security and privacy;
2. Increased fines and regulatory action by State Attorneys General and regulatory agencies;
3. Data breaches and associated costs will increase, as penalties for information security negligence are acted on;
4. Hospital governing-boards will exert their power to manage data breach risks in order to increase accountability and fiduciary responsibility;
5. A significant “data spill” is inevitable and will bring national attention to the issue;
6. Heightened patient awareness and concern over the security of their private medical data;
7. The finalization of data breach notification rules by the Department of Health and Human Services could remove the controversial “harm threshold” provision that determines whether notification is required when an incident occurs. If removed, this will create a risk of over notification and desensitization of patients.

“Endemic failure to keep pace with best practices and advancing technology has resulted in antiquated data security, governance, policy plaguing in the healthcare industry. Millions of patients are at risk for medical and financial identity fraud due to inadequate information security. Information security in the healthcare industry is at the fulcrum of economic, technological, and regulatory influence and, to date, it has not demonstrated an ability to adapt to meet the resulting challenges???but it must. The reputation and well-being of those organizations upon which we rely to practice the healing arts depends on it.”

“2011 will be the year that Americans recognize they can’t control personal health information in health IT systems and data exchanges. Will 2011 be the year that data security and privacy are the top of the nation’s agenda? I hope so. The right to privacy is the essential right of individuals in vibrant Democracies. If we don’t do it right in healthcare, we won’t have any privacy in the Digital Age.”

“In 2011, we can expect that the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights will be gearing up its proactive audits. Where does this leave OCR audits in 2011? They’re probably directed at those organizations that have breaches attributable to known and published high-risk areas. Look for those organizations to be dealing with OCR auditors camped out at their facilities in 2011.”

“The healthcare industry is on the verge of a major shift. Organizations are venturing into the electronic world for the first time as practices implementing electronic health records and states are launching health information exchanges. A surge of new data will be brought online by a lot of inexperienced organizations fueled by monetary government incentives. Mistakes are a certainty. Combine this with sophisticated approaches to identity theft by organized crime, and breaches will happen. When a breach occurs, the way the organization handles it publicly will be critical.”

“Health information exchanges will raise the awareness of security and privacy. I am seeing organizations shift their focus from implementation of electronic health records to a focus on the next phase of “meaningful use,” specifically how they are going to share patient records though health information exchanges. There will also be more concern over accountability if PHI is breached. How will a patient know who is responsible when a health information exchange has a data breach? Who will they hold accountable to fix the problem and for the financial, reputational, and other damage they experience? I think a lot of work needs to be done in this area and it will come into focus as a ‘must do’ initiative in 2011.”

“As healthcare information becomes more mobile, issues with security will only become increasingly complex. Healthcare is a mammoth space that changes and moves slowly, but when it does, it moves en masse. In the case of PHI/PII the laws were ahead of the technology. To date, there have been no secure audit trails, which impacts the effectiveness of the laws. If we can’t track how and when private and personal information is accessed, we will never secure it.”

“Patient health information data breaches are one of the most significant legal and public trust risks facing hospital governing boards, which are legally and ethically accountable for the results of a breach. The board of trustees has a fundamental fiduciary responsibility to ensure that patients’ health information is safe and secure at all times. To do this, boards must establish the prevention of data breaches as a critical organizational priority, ensure that financial resources sufficient to achieve the objective are made available, and require periodic updates from senior management on data breach risks and methods being utilized to close potential breach gaps. This should be one of the critical agenda items for hospital and health system boards in 2011.”

ID Experts is the leader in comprehensive data breach solutions that deliver the most positive outcomes. The company has managed hundreds of data breach incidents, protecting millions of affected individuals, for leading healthcare organizations, corporations, financial institutions, universities and government agencies. In healthcare, the company contributes to relevant legislation and rules including HITECH and is a corporate member of HIMSS. ID Experts is active with organizations that advocate for privacy for Americans including ANSI/Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Management Standards Panel and the International Association of Privacy Professionals. For more information, visit http://www.idexpertscorp.com/

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It appears that government doesn’t have to move slowly, crushed under the weight of bureaucracy. The video below shows the CTO of the WhiteHouse and the Chief of New Media for the Obama Administration talking with TechCrunch.tv correspondent about what it was like to launch a fully functional and useful Healthcare.gov website.

Then the second video is President Obama running through a demo of the site. In his reun-through he mentions that the site has sections for employee provided healthcare, private options, small business options. The latter helps small business owners find the best insurance plans for themselves and for employees.

It’s impressive that this website build-out was accomplished very quickly, much like a startup might approach it, rather than the stodgy, slow pace that we expect from government.

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Health care costs are a growing concern amongst small and large business owners throughout America. The cost of medicine in the United States is out of control, with the average CT Scan or MRI costing thousands of dollars. Simple and complex treatments, office visits, and procedures are costing employers millions of dollars while decreasing the profitability of their organizations. Because of the rising health care costs, employers are forced to reduce bonuses, reduce spending, and sometimes layoff employees, which increases stress.

Employers can manage health care costs in a society that is preparing for major health care renovation by monitoring the eligibility of spouses and dependents, investigating and reporting all claims, switching to different policies, encouraging spousal health insurance, reducing workers compensation payouts, and developing a legal team to handle litigation and settlement issues.

Utilizing competitive business strategies that monitor expenses closely can control health insurance costs. In 2007 the average employer paid $12,106 in health care costs, with the employee picking up $3,281 of the bill. Health care costs continue to rise, causing employers financial distress.

An employee’s family is one of the largest health care expenses businesses deal with, as children and spouses become ill over the course of their policy. It is commonplace for businesses to spend millions on an employee’s dependent or spouse. Companies can reduce the amount of money spent on spouses and dependents by actively investigating all non-employee claims.

In most policies a dependent is defined as someone under 18 or who is a full time student below a certain age. The new Obamacare insurance reform requires employers to pay for dependents under 26; however, many current policies set the age at 23 or 24.

Employers can minimize health care costs by ensuring any person over 18 is a full time non-exempt student. Employers can encourage employees to set their dependents up with school-sponsored insurance, which reduces the employers overall cost. Additionally, employers can alter the policies to remove unrestrictive verbiage from the documents, such as policies that do not require older dependents to be in school. Verification of a dependent’s status can be obtained from leading national clearinghouses and verification services at a fraction of the price of their health plan.

There are other health insurance loopholes employers can leverage, such as retiree benefits for dependents as well as dental and vision services. Limit the scope of retiree health plans by removing dependent coverage, only providing medical services to the employee’s spouse. Additionally, consider modifying vision and dental coverage for dependents by limiting it to essential and preventative services.

Employers can significantly reduce the amount of money they spend on an employee’s health insurance plan by utilizing plans with high deductibles, which ensure that their workers are protected in case of major illness or injury. Additionally, deductibles place most of the annual expenses on the employee, with the employer serving as backup in case of life threatening illness, expensive operations, and other expensive procedures, such as CT Scans or MRIs.

High deductible plans are ideal for small and large businesses that want to minimize health care costs and risks associated with high premium traditional plans. Employees are made aware of their high deductibles and take a proactive approach to their health, avoiding expensive hospitalizations for otherwise preventable diseases, such as diabetes.

When employees are aware of the true cost of health care, their overall demeanor towards a healthy lifestyle improves. They also are more appreciative of the services and benefits their current employer offers.

Encourage employees to utilize their spouse’s employer paid health insurance package if it is available. The strategy can be marketed as providing them with the maximum coverage, pointing out how their spouses program is a viable alternative. Educate employees on the open enrollment procedure, fostering communication within their family regarding the topic.

Employees can save up to $5,000 by switching to their spouse’s insurance, especially if said employee was on a high deductible policy. Another option is to encourage employees to split their dependent’s coverage amongst both of the health plans, minimizing financial risk to your business.

It is illegal to demand that employees switch to their spouse’s plan or remove dependents from their policy. Incentive programs are unethical but may drive lower health care costs in your organization. Use this method as a last resort, as some employees may take action against the company. Insurance commissioners frown upon the incentive or spousal switching program, thus it is best to encourage the splitting of spouse and employee coverage.

The fastest and most efficient way to decrease health care costs is by encouraging your employees and management staff to live a healthy and preventative lifestyle. Preventative care costs far less than other medical procedures, which reduces the out of pocket expenses for both the business and employee. Offer awards or incentive programs for employees who quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking, or take a proactive approach to their health.

Be careful when publicly honoring the employee in front of their coworkers, as some may be nervous or reserved, these are sensitive topics after all. Healthy living programs foster a wholesome lifestyle, in which the employee receives routine checkups and works to reduce preventable conditions, such as obesity and high cholesterol. Healthy lifestyle programs can target diet, weight loss, smoking, alcoholism, aging, and stress. Additionally, healthy employees can participate by continuing to exercise on a routine basis and reducing their stress levels.

Copyright ?? 2010 Thayne Carper http://www.thaynecarper.com/

— Thayne Carper spent 4 years of college competing in student business plan competitions. He’s never won a business plan competition and was dropped from his college’s entrepreneurial program for lacking potential. Today, he is one of the youngest published experts on the topic of business turnarounds and cost reduction. Visit his website lower supply costs up to 30% for a copy of his report “The Definitive Guide to Doubling Your Profits in less than 6 Months” (http://www.ThayneCarper.com/FreeReport) and learn how you can easily lower supply and service costs up to 30% without hiring a consultant. Learn more: http://www.ThayneCarper.com/

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3. MVP Health Care Eliminates Potential Health Insurance Coverage Gap for Many Young Adults

Proactive measure will help parents keep their children insured until new provisions of health care reform law take affect

Schenectady, NY (Vocus/PRWEB ) April 28, 2010 — MVP Health Care announced today that it is taking steps to prevent a gap in health insurance coverage for many young adults in New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

MVP???s action means that dependents up to age 26 who are currently covered on their parents??? health benefit plans will retain their coverage until the dependent coverage provisions of Federal health care reform take effect beginning in September.

Each year, especially around June following college graduations, many young adult college students who have been covered on their parents??? health insurance plans through student waivers “age off” their parents??? policy. Federal Health care reform legislation, signed into law last month, addressed this issue by extending the dependent age for coverage to 26. This new law, however, applies to policy renewals after Sept. 23, 2010. As such, many dependents would have faced a coverage gap during the months before this provision is fully implemented, which could take as long as a year in some cases.

“This is the right thing to do, and it is something we can do now,??? said David W. Oliker, MVP Health Care President and CEO. ???Realizing that this component of health care reform legislation would not be phased in for several months ??? after many young people lose their coverage because of their age, student status, or other factors ??? we concluded that it was vital to close this gap and extend coverage.???

???By making this change in advance of the law, we can ensure that many young people who are currently covered on their parents??? plans are able to hold on to their coverage and access the care they need,??? said William Little, MVP Health Care vice president for Vermont.

???Protecting access to quality, affordable health care benefits for our members is always a priority,??? said Chris Henchey, MVP executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer. ???Thousands of young adults are set to graduate from college over the next few weeks throughout New York, Vermont and new Hampshire, and we???re pleased to be able to continue to offer them coverage.???

Founded in 1983, MVP Health Care is a regional, not-for-profit health insurer based in Schenectady, N.Y. Through its operating subsidiaries, it provides fully insured and self-funded employer health benefits plans, dental insurance, and ancillary products, such as flexible-spending accounts, to 750,000 subscribers in New York State, Vermont and New Hampshire. For more information, visit: MVP Health Care.

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Breakthrough Technology Helps Reduce Cost of Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies by 30 Percent

Boston (Vocus/PRWEB ) April 28, 2010 — Healthcare Solutions and Broadspire today announced a technology-enabled durable medical equipment (DME) formulary that significantly reduces workers??? compensation costs. The formulary, which was developed using clinical protocols, can ensure appropriate utilization and helps to mitigate the rising costs of medical equipment and supplies. During the first month of implementation, Broadspire clients realized an average savings of 30 percent per DME transaction.

The DME formulary improves the process of administrating durable medical equipment and supplies through inclusion of proprietary clinical protocols during the order process. The program provides injured workers necessary medical equipment at the lowest price to support them in getting back to work quickly and safely while saving money for employers.

???DME and supplies account for approximately 10 percent of workers??? compensation annual medical spending,??? said Eileen Ramallo, executive vice president for Healthcare Solutions. ???Our DME formulary applies the same principles of a pharmacy formulary, which uses clinically-based guidelines and utilization management controls to reduce costs while ensuring appropriate care for injured workers. As an added benefit, the technology reduces the workload of claims adjusters by streamlining the DME process and automating decisions based on customer-specific protocols.???

During the DME order process, the formulary automatically compares the injured worker???s injury to the request and instantly reviews customer-specific clinical protocols and cost appropriateness.

The formulary also flags high-cost products and automatically notifies the customers??? claims adjuster and clinical review team, providing multiple product options that are supported by evidence-based medicine to consider in completing the order.

???The new DME formulary can result in a significant reduction in total claim costs, more consistency in order processing and assurance that injured workers are receiving the right care,??? said Danielle Lisenbey, chief operating officer, Medical Services for Broadspire. ???We are pleased to further demonstrate our commitment to customers in developing this unique program that leverages our expertise in medical management. It goes beyond simply managing claims to returning meaningful results to our customers.???

The program???s systemic approach, which is enabled by technology, is currently the fastest and easiest way for DME orders to be approved and completed.

About Healthcare Solutions
Healthcare Solutions, Inc. is the parent company of Cypress Care and Procura Management. Through its affiliated companies, Healthcare Solutions serves as a health service company delivering integrated solutions to the property and casualty markets, specializing in workers??? compensation and auto liability/PIP. The company???s customers include insurance carriers, third party administrators (TPAs), managed care organizations (MCOs), government agencies and self-insured employers. Utilizing market-leading technology, Healthcare Solutions delivers demonstrated benefits and savings complemented by deep industry expertise. For more information, please visit www.healthcaresolutions.com

About Broadspire
Broadspire, a leading international third party administrator for large self-insured organizations, offers a broad array of customized claim and medical management services designed to increase employee productivity and contain costs. Broadspire’s U.S. offering of workers compensation, auto and general liability claims administration, medical management and absence and care management, is available bundled or individually. In addition, Crawford & Company, Broadspire???s parent, provides liability, motor and property claims management services in Europe under the Broadspire brand. Broadspire is based in Atlanta, Ga., with a network of 85 locations throughout the United States. (www.choosebroadspire.com) and Europe (www.Broadspire.eu), including the United Kingdom (www.BroadspireTPA.co.uk).

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By Wiley P Long

You can keep your health savings account (HSA), and your HSA-qualified health insurance with the new health care reform laws. Existing plans will be “grandfathered” in, so you can keep existing coverage for as long as the insurance company continues to sell it.

If you’ve put off researching the benefits of HSA plans, now is the time to do so. Why now? Plans may change as portions of the new laws take effect, and insurance companies alter the plans they sell. Find the best plan to fit your needs now, and compare that to new plans as they become available. That way you’ll be guaranteed the best coverage for your situation among the existing plans, and the plans to come.

High-Deductible Health Insurance Plans

The high-deductible health insurance plans that are qualified to be combined with health savings accounts offers lower premiums. Since the selection of these plans could be reduced in the future, shop now to lock in lower premiums.

Starting in 2014, you will no longer be able to have a plan with a $20,000 deductible. However, if you already have a high-deductible plan, you will be able to keep it as long as it’s for sale. Several insurance companies offer two- and three-year rate guarantees, including Assurant, Golden Rule, and World.

Health Care Reform Changes This Year

Here are some of the changes, and how you can maximize your benefits and minimize your costs.

On September 23rd, the first phase of the law will bring some welcome benefits. The lifetime limits in policies will end so policies will be more valuable. Those limits now are typically from $1 to $5 million.

In addition, children with pre-existing conditions will no longer be denied coverage. Coverage will also increase for young adults because they will be able to get coverage through their parents’ policies until the children reach age 27.

As a HSA owner, you may stay healthy by focusing on preventive services, and with the new law, preventive services will be covered 100 percent. That means no co-pay or deductible.

Also in 2010, HSA reimbursements will be expanded to domestic and same-sex partners. This means that anyone with money in a HSA could use those funds to pay for a partner’s medical, or dental expenses tax-free.

Health Care Reform Changes For The Future

In 2011, over-the-counter medicines will no longer be qualified expenses from your HSA unless a doctor states they are medically necessary. The penalty for withdrawals from your HSA for non-medical expenses will also increase from 10 percent to 20 percent.

In 2014, people without minimum health insurance coverage who are not eligible for subsidized help will face a penalty of $95, or 1 percent of their income. That may make health savings accounts with their lower-premium, high-deductible plans even more popular.

If you’re under age 30, lower-cost catastrophic plans that cover only three primary care visits until the deductible is reached will be acceptable.

If you’re over age 30, you’ll need insurance that covers at least 60 percent of the actuarial value of the benefits offered, or the average medical expenses incurred by a typical person in a year.

With underwriting eliminated, if you have pre-existing conditions, you will qualify for coverage. There will be a maximum 90-day waiting period before a new policy holder can be covered.

HSA Tax Deductions Become Increasingly Important

Individuals with annual incomes that exceed $200,000, and couples with combined incomes that exceed $250,000 will pay an additional 0.9 percent in Medicare payroll tax beginning in 2013. There will also be an additional 3.8 percent Medicare tax on investment income.

When people are required to maintain minimum health insurance coverage, HSA plans will continue to be the best value for most consumers. See what the lower premiums, and tax deductions can mean for your bottom line.

By Wiley Long – President, HSA for America ( http://www.health–savings–accounts.com ) – The nation’s leading independent health insurance firm specializing in HSA Plans that works with a Health Savings Account.

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