What are some steps that small businesses can take to control health insurance costs?
The most direct thing they can do is comparative shopping. There is competition in the health insurance market; and in any given region of the country, you can find a number of plans from which small business owners can purchase insurance – from HMOs to Preferred Provider Organizations to Point of Service Plans. There are a lot of options out there. So, small employers should shop for both quality and price. Beyond that, a lot of business owners, big and small, are finding ways to cut their costs through employee education; taking steps to help employees live healthier lifestyles – to stop smoking, get more exercise, and eat right. Some are getting employees to take ownership of their own healthcare decisions, so that healthcare dollars are spent wisely doing things that are really necessary, such as taking steps to stay well. There are a lot of proactive steps that both business and employees can take to cut down on healthcare costs and at the same time have more effective healthcare.
