Tools Helps Employers Choose Best Health Plan

November 22, 2005 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Great-West Healthcare has introduced two consultative tools for benefits brokers and employers to use in choosing the most appropriate health benefits structure.

Is Your Company Ready for Consumer-Driven Health Care? is an online qualification tool that helps companies determine their readiness for consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) and the type of plan for which they are best suited, according to the announcement.

Employers start by answering a series of 21 questions in five categories – company readiness, employee readiness, financial considerations, benefits philosophy, and plan design.   Results are tabulated and an overall CDHC readiness score is given.   The tool further determines which plan type is most appropriate for the employer.   Brokers and employers can print the final results, including their answers to questions.   The tool is accessible at  www.greatwesthealthcare.com , under the Consumer-Driven Health Care Survey link in the Products & Services section.

The Insider’s Guide to Self-Funding is a 15-minute interactive CD intended to help employers understand how self-funded health plans work and decide if this approach makes sense for their companies, according to the Great-West announcement.

This guide is divided into five sections including a breakdown on how self-funding works, the advantages of this type of approach, common misperceptions, and why companies choose to partner with Great-West Healthcare.   At the conclusion, employers may complete a short survey to help determine if self-funded health plans are a good fit for their companies.   Brokers may request a copy of the CD through their Great-West Healthcare sales person or by sending an e-mail with their name, company name, address, e-mail and phone to insidersguide@gwl.com .

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