When health insurance costs rise

What businesses can do:
• Make sure your broker has shopped around for the best price.
• See if you can reduce costs by offering a wellness program.
• Ensure that your broker is analyzing your claims to see where the costs and needs are. There may be a cheaper plan for that pattern.
• Consider cost sharing: increasing deductibles, copayments, employee contributions.
• Talk to other brokers to get different offers.

• See if low-income employees may qualify for state-funded care.
• Evaluate whether it would be cost effective to be self-insured.

Sources: The Employee Benefits Advisors Group; Singer Nelson Charlmers
The Record: In Chronic Pain