Still, reviewing your policy and analyzing it against competitors could save your company and employees money. Ramshaw-Reed, who has placed health plans for hundreds of small companies and individuals in the past 25 years, regularly conducts competitive analysis for clients when notified of a health plan rate increase, or asked by a prospective client to recommend a health plan. She cautions final rates are determined by final enrollment and the completion of underwriting. Broadly stated, the more employees who participate in the plan, the lower the per-employee premiums. Also, the more healthy and fit your employees and their dependents, the lower the premium costs.
Most people desire to stay with their current physician when they first join or switch health plans.
Participants in an HMO must chose a primary care doctor from the group's network who acts as a gatekeeper and directs the patient to specialists who are in the network. Other forms of managed care are usually more expensive for the privilege of having more choice. A Point of Service plan, or POS, allows workers to choose where they go for care but also uses a gatekeeper, or pre-approved primary care doctor. Patients may bypass the plan's network of doctors by paying an additional fee. A benefit that could concern employees is reimbursement time frames.