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Group health insurance plans are especially beneficial for small businesses. Any business or organization employing between 2 and 50 people can opt for a group health insurance plan. These plans have become all the more relevant, since healthcare costs have been rising in the US. This poses a major challenge for prospective small businesses, as they have to find affordable health insurance benefits for their employees. Good health insurance benefits can help you retain valuable talent while at the same time being a draw for new aspirants.

Features of Group Insurance Plans:

Group health insurance plans work by spreading the financial risk between the members of the scheme. Individual members of the group pay less for the same type and amount of coverage. The rates are calculated as a whole for the group. The factors taken into account are age, health status, and occupational hazards, amongst others. These may vary in different states and amongst different companies. While there is no change to the basic policy format for the whole group, you may be able to get better coverage by negotiating add-ons and riders to meet specific requirements.

Small business heath insurance policies are offered in many formats, e.g. HMO, PPO, POS, and fee-for-service. Managed care plans are more affordable than group indemnity policies and are therefore more popular.

Designing the Plan:

Do have a clear objective in place when purchasing a health insurance plan or your small business? The plan should meet the needs of the company and its employees. Carry out extensive research before making the purchase.

The insurance company will need information on the type of coverage you are seeking, age and health profile of the group members. While not required as per the law, you may extend the coverage to the spouse or dependents and pay a percentage of the cost. The accuracy of the information you provide will determine the accuracy of the quote. You will then be able to choose from various policy and payment options. The employer pays some percentage of an employees individual premium, approximately between 25% and 50%.

Premiums have grown manifold in recent years due to an aging population, rising cost of medicines and adverse publicity and backlash against managed healthcare. However, the situation is not entirely without hope as a number of companies still offer a variety of choice of plans. The local chamber of commerce can be of considerable help in finding about prospective alliances in your area.

Small business health insurance plans diversify the financial risk amongst members of the group and lower costs. You can also get better coverage for your employees. They have become an essential part of your business plan due to rising healthcare costs. Do buy a plan that meets the needs of your company and the employees.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

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