Health Insurance for small business.

thetodd

Can someone recommend affordable health insurance companies for small business owners. Thank you.

booklaw

When Mrs. Booklaw's last job-with-insurance coverage ended, we did an exhaustive search of health insurance coverages available to individuals (I imagine things are quite different if you are buying coverage for yourself and for your employees... your post did not indicate whether that was the case).

We found many policies available to "self-employed" persons who earned at least $10,000 per year from their self-employment.

We found only one policy available for the unlucky unemployed which permitted seeing out-of-network doctors: Atlantis Health Care.

That company is at least as frustrating to deal with as any other insurer... but I'll say this for them: when Mrs. Booklaw broke her hip and was hospitalized for a full month, less than a month after paying her very first premium, they ponied up the $80,000 in hospital and doctor bills without complaint... and they didn't cancel the policy!

brooklynjack

booklaw wrote: and they didn't cancel the policy!

That would be illegal in New York State, just saying. In New York policies are community rated, everyone pays the same premium, and you can't be turned down for pre existing conditions

nykittyny

Does everyone really pay the same premium? We have Atlantis, and after having a baby, our premium went up quite a bit.....but I was quoted a lower premium from an insurance salesman who didn't realize that I was already a member.

brooklynpotter

i've gotten decent coverage at a group rate for self employed through a small firm in armonk, tri-sate marketing. don't have to info handy, but i'm sure you can google them.

they were cheaper than freelancers union, with better coverage

b-n-b68

My company, a small business, is switching to Emblem. This is the one that's doing a lot of advertising on TV lately. I'm a bit worried about the switch and would love to hear about anyone's experience with Emblem and whether you were able to find doctors in Park Slope and/or Manhattan that accepted it.

stooplady

I would like to know more about the Free Lancers Union if anyone would care to elaborate. Thanks!

jschneier

I am a small business owner and also have Atlantis. They make mistakes all the time but they have always have covered everything in the end.

It is about $320 a person or so for the PPO with a $500 hospital co-pay and $20 doctor co-pay. The only thing I do like about them is that they have these centers that you can go to that are free.

All of that said I spent an hour on the phone with them today correcting bills that that they had improperly filed.

ljnd

I use Freelancer's Union and have never had a problem. I'm still with my doctor of 16 years, and when I had tendinosis they covered physical therapy for as long as I needed.

smokey

Check out HealthyNY. I get Empire from them and it's pretty reasonable.
http://www.ins.state.ny.us/website2/hny/english/hny.htm

brooklynpotter

Smokey wrote: Check out HealthyNY. I get Empire from them and it's pretty reasonable.
http://www.ins.state.ny.us/website2/hny/english/hny.htm

be careful before signing up on that plan to check out what they DON'T cover. it's extensive. and they have a, rx cap that i think is low.

michael webster

Cannot tell you a specific company, but I can pass on a decent tip.

What you do is: combine a limited medical benefits program with a high deductible HMO.

Ordinarily, the limited medical benefits program would not qualify for the tax credit, but wrapped with a HMO it very well might.

A numerical example is here: http://www.franchise-info.ca/supply_chain/2010/07/Small-business-tax-credits.html

It is a pretty neat idea: using the health tax credit to essentially fund a high deductible.

veets

B&B68 wrote: My company, a small business, is switching to Emblem. This is the one that's doing a lot of advertising on TV lately. I'm a bit worried about the switch and would love to hear about anyone's experience with Emblem and whether you were able to find doctors in Park Slope and/or Manhattan that accepted it.

Emblem is the "new name" for GHI...many doctors accept it. Have you already bought the policy? I have a good broker person who can advise you if you have not already purchased insurance. Been using him for a decade. PM me is you think that it might help.