| The cost of providing employees with
| |
| | doesn't "arrange" your health plan for
|
| health insurance coverage continues to
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| | you. How many providers are enough? The
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| increase at a double-digit rate. We've
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| | more participating providers a health
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| read a lot about cost drivers in health
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| | plan has, the more you're likely to pay
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| care - exorbitant hospital charges,
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| | in premiums. If you are considering a
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| rising prescription drug costs, expenses
| |
| | health plan that doesn't include a few
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| associated with developing new
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| | desired physicians, request that the
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| technologies and treatments, an aging
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| | carrier add them to its network.
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| population and litigation. Nurturing
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| | Physicians participate in many different
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| these factors is an environment in which
| |
| | health plans and are usually willing to
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| the demand for health care seems to be
| |
| | participate in one more. Don't get caught
|
| increasing.
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| | in the trap of paying 10 percent to 15
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| For the most part, there is little
| |
| | percent more for your health insurance
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| employers can do to control what is
| |
| | premiums because one or two doctors are
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| driving health care costs out of their
| |
| | not participating in the plan. It's
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| reach. Health benefits companies can and
| |
| | reasonable that an employee can find
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| do negotiate discounts, and while those
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| | another physician out of the thousands on
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| help, the underlying costscontinue to
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| | the plan.
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| skyrocket. The increases created by these
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| | The power of marketing
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| cost drivers flow through the health
| |
| | Living in the United States affords us
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| benefits companies and eventually trickle
| |
| | exceptional opportunities and choices.
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| down to employers in the form of higher
| |
| | Along with that privilege comes a barrage
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| health insurance premiums.
| |
| | of communications designed to influence
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| In this soft economy, declining revenue
| |
| | our decision-making. What we read in the
|
| is putting a squeeze on company expenses.
| |
| | papers, see on television, hear on the
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| It is likely that you will experience a
| |
| | radio, see flashed across a billboard,
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| 15 percent to 20 percent increase in your
| |
| | get stuffed in our mailboxes or pops up
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| group health insurance when a renewal
| |
| | on the Internet is designed to predispose
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| form lands on your desk.
| |
| | us to a company or its product.
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| Can you raise the cost of your company's
| |
| | Marketing can be an effective tool, and
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| product or service as quickly as your
| |
| | depending on how much is spent, can be
|
| health insurance premiums are increasing?
| |
| | quite influential. What marketing cannot
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| Probably not. However, there are steps
| |
| | do, however, no matter how much is spent,
|
| you can take to gain some control over
| |
| | is replace what it takes to come up with
|
| your health care costs.
| |
| | an affordable health benefitssolution
|
| Finding a solution
| |
| | that works for you. Be sure to look for a
|
| Employers can exercise some control over
| |
| | health benefits company that is flexible,
|
| their costs by finding a health benefits
| |
| | listens and is willing to roll up its
|
| company that provides the "best" value
| |
| | sleeves to provide you with a package of
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| for their company's premium dollars. The
| |
| | health benefits that you can afford.
|
| way in which you "shop" a health plan can
| |
| | PETER JOSEPH is senior vice president for
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| impact the price. I'll use an analogy.
| |
| | commercial salesfor VISTA, a health
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| Your travel agent has a great deal for
| |
| | benefits company headquartered in South
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| you - air, car, hotel and meals included.
| |
| | Florida with more than 330,000 members.
|
| You tell your agent to book it.
| |
| | VISTA, through itsaffiliated companies,
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| Coincidently, your neighbors just booked
| |
| | Vista Healthplan Inc., Vista Health Plan
|
| that same trip for $1,000 less through
| |
| | of South Florida Inc. and Vista Insurance
|
| their travel agent. One agent shopped for
| |
| | Plan Inc., offers a choice of health
|
| the best price, the other agent arranged
| |
| | benefit plans including health
|
| the trip through his or her vendor of
| |
| | maintenance organization (HMO), preferred
|
| choice. Whether it's a family vacation,
| |
| | provider organization (PPO) and
|
| buying a car or choosing a health
| |
| | point-of-service (POS). Reach him through
|
| benefits plan, how you shop can impact
| |
| | VISTA's Web site at or (954) 986-6255.
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| your cost. Make sure your insurance agent
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| |
|
