An astounding Seventy Percent (70%) of Small Businesses inAmerica today do not provide health Insurance coverage for theiremployees. In most cases, it's not that they don't want to butbecause their business can no longer afford to provide suchbenefits. It is simply an effort to reduce the cost of theday-to-day business operation.
However, employers must consider if this cost reduction strategyis helping the medium to long term growth of their companies. Ifone would think about it, what is more costly? The premiums acompany has to pay for group health insurance or the cost tolose a good employee to a competitor who offers health carebenefits? Indeed there is a higher price on the down time,training costs, and lost sales or manufacturing. Fortunately itno longer has to be a choice of one or the other.
One solution for high cost of health insurance premiums is anon-insurance solution. Discount Health Care Plans. Thisalternative to health insurance only costs a fraction of what atraditional group insurance policy would. More importantly, itstill meets the health care needs of a company's employees on adiscounted basis.
These programs are not insurance but rather medical savingsprograms. It's more like having a health care advocate by whichmedical bills of members are reduced before they even start.Employees still have to pay for their healthcare, but theemployer gets the credit of giving them substantial savings onmedical, dental, vision, hearing, pharmacy and many other typesof necessary medical care. These programs can also be used tosupplement existing insurance programs with high deductibles orpolicies that pay a flat fee for hospital stays or certainconditions.
Affordable health care becomes possible through grouprepresentation. Discount Health Care Plan providers carry enoughclout to get prices reduced down to what insurance companieshave enjoyed for years. In other words since they have enoughparticipating members, they have superior buying power in orderto negotiate discounts with providers of medical products andservices. Some Discount Health Care Plans have been around for23 years. These programs combine fully insured benefits tohealth care providers through group blanket policies that coverits members.
These Plans provide affordable health care coverage to itsmembers by giving access to hundreds of thousands of doctors,dentists, specialists, labs, pharmacies and hospitals throughoutthe U.S. that have agreed to charge significantly reducedpre-negotiated rates for procedures that can be done. Healthydiscounts of 30% to 70% off medical, dental, vision, hearing,prescription and chiropractic care. For the uninsured or underinsured this often makes a world of difference in their abilityto receive needed medical care. Acceptance is guaranteed,anybody young or old, regardless of pre-existing conditions canparticipate and some even covers maternity. Several features ofdiscount health care plans come as an advantage. There are noclaims forms to fill-out, no limitations, no waiting periods orpre-existing conditions, no age restrictions, and with some youcan become a member today and get healthcare treatment the dayafter. That's why testimonies of members like one below are notuncommon.
"To date, I've had the opportunity to utilize the discounthealth care services on numerous occasions and have always beenpleased with the savings. Last February, I had a hospital billthat was $2900.00 and reduced to just $410.00. I had a pinchednerve in my shoulder and went to the chiropractor. The initialcharge was $620.00, but I only paid $203.00. My chiropractictreatments also went from $62.00 to $40.00. At the dentist, mysavings have been about 60%. My brother, who is also a member,has prescriptions that were $574.00 and through our mail orderprogram are now $299.80. The best part was that it was easy touse. All I did was call the member's support phone number andthey took care of everything." - Richard P., Dallas, TX
Membership fees are significantly lower than traditional healthinsurance. Membership fees can be anywhere from $8 per month forminimal benefits to $50 per month for the comprehensivepackages. Furthermore, companies get up to 20% discount onmembership fees when they enroll 25 members or more.
For employers who can no longer provide health insurance fortheir staff, these discount health care plans could just be theanswer. A service that is in many ways similar, and some wouldargue, better than health insurance at only a fraction of thecost. Companies can still reduce their cost on insurancebenefits while gaining loyalty from their employees.
About the author:Abel Quitoriano is the webmaster of EZ-Entry-Medical-Dental-Benefits.com. A free resoucrce on affordable health care alternatives for the millions of people inAmerica who do not have health insurance coverage. Either theycan't afford or they are not eligible due to pregnancy orpre-existing conditions.
