Obviously, there has been a lot of talk about Health Care lately. I thought it might be relevant to discuss some of the current options available for small business. This is not an official endorsement of any service but more meant to provide information based on my personal experiences with these providers.

One of the biggest concerns that people have with becoming an entrepreneur is loss of health care that a job typically provides. But as a business owner you are now an employer and can in fact supply your own coverage. The cost are pretty similar to what might come out of your check over a 30 day period as an employee, it’s just a matter of choosing an option that best fits your needs.

NASE – The National Association for the Self Employed is a membership organization that provides health care as an option to its members. You must first become a member. When I joined several years ago the cost was around $125. After you are a member you can get coverage for yourself as a business owner. NASE may not be the best option if you have employees because their health care is for individuals. For Example if you have a partner in your business each partner would have and choose their own coverage options and their own membership. NASE coverage also provides for dental and vision coverage which many providers that take care of smaller plans do not.

My monthly heath coverage was deducted from my bank account and was about $125 a month with a $1,000 deductable and included dental and vision. Again, That was several years ago and their cost now are slightly higher. You can cover a spouse or children under this plan. Under NASE my carrier was Devon Health which provided great coverage I had low co-pays and I was on a PPO plan which meant I could choose my own doctors without any referrals.

Golden Rule is another health care plan that provides low cost insurance. You can sign up directly through their website, no agent necessary. This is my current provider I have been with them for about a year now but I haven’t really developed a strong opinion yet. I’ve only been to the doctor a few times and no major issues so far. From what I remember about the sign up process most of the lower cost plans have somewhat higher deductibles.

There are vision and dental options and I have both. My monthly cost is around $160 for a PPO and I don’t have any children, spouse etc. on the plan. There was no start-up fee. Also, I did not switch from NASE to Golden Rule I had a period when I was in grad school and the university covered me so there was no failure on the part of NASE. The sign up process for Golden Rule is pretty simple. You just go through the website choose your plans and enter payment – it’s health care on the go. Whichever, you choose take the time to talk with someone to understand which options work best for what you need i.e. expected trips to the doctor per year, planning for children and other health factors.

I hope this provides a great start to those that don’t know where to begin. If you have any other suggestions for businesses please share.