Comparing plans on what actually decides the outcome.
Most plan comparisons come down to the monthly premium, which is the one number that hides the most. A cheaper plan with the wrong network costs your employees more than it saves you, and you hear about it all year.
We quote across Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare and LifeWise, then compare on the things that determine whether a plan works in practice: whether the network covers the clinics and hospitals your people already use, what the deductible does to a family in a bad year, and how the plan is likely to behave at renewal.
Employers who come to us mid-renewal usually find they have more than one option. Employers who have never offered coverage usually find it costs less than the number in their head — particularly once level-funded and voluntary options are considered.
- Plan design matched to your census, not a template
- Network checks against the providers your team already sees
- Contribution modeling — what the company pays versus the employee
- HSA-qualified high-deductible options where they make sense
- Renewal review started early, not the week it is due
The structures worth knowing.
PPO
Broadest access, highest premium.
Employees can see out-of-network providers at a higher cost and generally do not need referrals. The default choice where a workforce is spread across the state or attached to specific specialists.
HMO / EPO
Lower premium, tighter network.
Care is coordinated within a defined network, often with a primary care physician at the center. Cost-effective where employees live and work near the network’s footprint — which is why geography drives this decision more than price does.
High-deductible with HSA
Lower premium, employee-funded first dollar.
Pairs a qualified high-deductible plan with a health savings account. Works well with a younger, healthier census, and works badly if nobody explains it — which is where employee education earns its keep.
Level-funded
Fixed cost with money back when claims run low.
Sits between fully insured and self-funded, with stop-loss coverage capping the downside. Covered in depth on the level-funded plans page.
Group health, answered.
Can employees keep their current doctor?
That depends on the network, and it is the first thing we check. Before recommending a plan we verify the providers your employees actually use against the carrier network. A plan that saves the company money and forces half the staff to change doctors is not a saving.
What is a waiting period and what should ours be?
A waiting period is the time between hire and coverage start, capped at 90 days under federal rules. First of the month following 30 or 60 days is common. Shorter helps recruiting; longer reduces cost on high-turnover roles.
Do we have to cover dependents and spouses?
Coverage must be offered to dependent children up to age 26 where the plan covers dependents. Spouses are more flexible, and some employers contribute for employees only. The contribution structure is a dial you control.
Our renewal came in with a big increase. Is that negotiable?
The renewal itself usually is not, but your options are. Changing plan design, changing carrier, or moving to a level-funded arrangement are all live moves — provided there is enough time before the effective date to underwrite and enroll.
The rest of the package.
Group Dental
The benefit employees use every year and rate highest per dollar.
Read more →Group Vision
Exams, frames and contacts — inexpensive, and always noticed.
Read more →Group Life & Disability
Income protection that costs a fraction of medical.
Read more →Level-Funded Plans
Fixed monthly cost, capped risk, refunds when claims run low.
Read more →Voluntary Benefits
Employee-paid coverage, often at no cost to the company.
Read more →Quote your group medical.
A census and your current plan summary is enough to start.