Save Money on Group Health Insurance - Defined Contribution

Orange County, California employers wanting to budget rising health insurance costs need to look no further than defined contribution. At our annual meetings with business owners the Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency provides quotes for multiple plans and carriers. The management decides how much each employee will be provided to purchase benefits. A business in Costa Mesa, CA recently decided that they would give each employee $250.00 a month to pay for health and dental coverage. Our agency provided each employee rates and benefits for five health plans and three dental plans. The employee could decide to buy an inexpensive dental plan and a rich benefit health plan, or no dental plan and the lowest co-pay PPO plan. The employer pays a fixed cost and the employee decides what benefits will fit their needs. This is the beauty of the defined contribution approach to employee benefits.

Cheaper Health Insurance -Tracking claims payments

After paying the appointment co-pay and leaving the doctors office, most consumers forget about the visit and assume all is finished with the claim. At the gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency we advise our small group insureds located in Orange County, California that registering at the carrier website they are covered by allows them to check the status of all claims they or their family members have incurred. Getting a notice of collections is not the way to learn about a problem with a claim. Our experience has taught us the most of the problems start with poor billing practices at their doctor's office. A good portion of out time at GandR Insurance is spent assisting clients with improperly billed claims. Please call us at our Costa Mesa, California office if we can be of assistance with a claim problem.

Health Insurance reform- Price-Access- quality

At the Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency we hold group insurance enrollment meetings for our Orange County small business owners. At the enrollment meetings employees make plan choices, complete enrollment forms and ask questions about the benefits. Every employee wants three things from their health plan: 1. Choice- Doctors and hospitals 2. Quality- Newest treatments-Best Drugs 3. Best (Cheapest) price. Our Agency informs employees that you can get two out of the three things they want, but not all. Quality and choice come at a premium. Less expensive plans reduce benefits and limit choice.

Smart Health Insurance Plans for Younger Consumers

For the 30 year olds, it might be a good time to adjust their thinking when buying health insurance. The conventional wisdom is to purchase the least expensive plan with the richest benefits. At the Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency
we advise our young clients to get quotes for High Deductible Health Savings Account (HSA) health plans. The premium savings from a HSA plan over the cost of a typical HMO plan can be put into a special tax- sheltered to pay for expenses below the high deductible. If you're like most of our younger clients, your medical bills are low and a HSA plan can be much more cost effective over a three to five year period when compared to conventional HMO plans. Please contact us for a health plan review to see how an HSA can benefit you.

Exercise and what happened to our beaches

As the principal of the Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency my job can get a little stressful and hectic. One of the tried and true recipes for stress relief is regular exercise. A little running, some light weight lifting and core strengthening has helped keep stress at a manageable level for three decades. One of the most enjoyable modes of exercising is a walk at one of my spouse and I's favorite beach, Crystal Cove State Beach. Located in the southern most part of Newport beach, CA it is an unspoiled treasure of the California coast.
Last Sunday we arrived to find the last storm that nearly drown Costa Mesa, California had move most of the sand at Crystal Cove off the beach. Where we walked briskly on packed sand bear the shore break was covered with large rocks or exposed slabs of ancient stone. What happened to the beach?

Picking the right health plan

When choosing a health plan do not overlook the network of doctors and hospitals that is associated with the plan you choose. Some lower cost plans have limited networks that may not allow you to see your current doctor or get treatment at the hospital of your choice. All health insurance carriers in Orange county, California have dedicated websites that you can find out if your doctor or favorite hospital is on their PPO or HMO provider list. In Newport Beach, CA Hoag Memorial Hospital is a provider for
Anthem Blue Cross
Healthnet
United Health Care
and Aetna.
At each carriers website you can research networks by a doctors name or office location. At the Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency
we help business owners and their employees search networks for primary and specialty doctors prior to changing health plans to make sure a trusted doctor relationship remains intact.

How to Control Small Business Healthcare Cost

The Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency recommends a simple strategy for controlling the rising cost of employee health insurance, Defined Contribution. A small business defines the amount it will pay for employees health benefits in one of two ways ; Paying for the cost of a designated plan or a giving employees a fixed dollar amount to pay for health benefits. Employees know the cost of health care is going up and if given multiple plan choices they are empowered to choose benefits that work for them, and are willing to pay for richer benefits. With proper planning a business can budget health care cost and provide employees with great benefits. A simple benefits review
by the Gelker and Rohrer Insurance Agency will show you how to control health benefits expenses.