Aetna offers a range of small business health insurance plans designed to meet the unique needs of employers.
Their plans provide comprehensive coverage for employees, including doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications. Aetna's network of providers includes over 1 million doctors and 5,000 hospitals nationwide.
Employers can choose from a variety of plan options, including catastrophic plans, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum plans. These plans vary in terms of cost and coverage level, allowing employers to select the best fit for their employees and budget.
Aetna's small business health insurance plans are designed to be flexible and scalable, making them suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Finding the Right Fit
Your business is unique, and that's why you need a health insurance package that's tailored to your specific needs. We can work with you personally to understand your business and craft the right insurance package.
To find the right fit, you'll want to balance price, coverage, and out-of-network flexibility when selecting a health insurance plan for your business. This will ensure that your employees get the care they need without breaking the bank.
Most companies offer five benefit tiers: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and catastrophic. Bronze plans are the least expensive, while platinum plans offer the highest level of coverage.
You can choose from four plan types: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), and Point of Service Plan (POS). Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it's essential to understand the differences.
Here are the key characteristics of each plan type:
- HMO: More restrictive, but typically less expensive
- EPO: More flexible, but won't cover out-of-network services except in emergency situations
- PPO: More flexible, but comes with higher baseline premiums and deductibles
- POS: Lies between HMO and PPO, with limited out-of-network services
By considering these factors and plan types, you can find the right fit for your business and employees.
Understanding Costs and Benefits
Employers typically pay the lion's share of their employees' health insurance premiums, which can lead to workers accessing healthcare services for superfluous reasons. Good benefits design will incentivize users to access essential services while discouraging wasteful service usage.
A 2020 survey found the average small business covered roughly 70% of its workers' health insurance premium costs, which is even higher than the 50% required to qualify for the small business healthcare tax credit. This shows that many employers are willing to pay a significant portion of their employees' health insurance costs.
Health insurance premiums are monthly payments made in exchange for healthcare coverage, and employers who pay 50% or more of the total cost of their employees' premiums may qualify for the small business healthcare tax credit.
Costs
Employers typically pay a significant share of their employees' health insurance costs, with some covering up to 70% of premium costs. This is often done as part of a workplace incentive program to attract and retain top talent.
You may want to consider providing strong healthcare subsidies to your business to stay competitive in the job market. A 2020 survey found that small businesses typically cover around 70% of their workers' health insurance premium costs.
Employers who pay 50% or more of the total cost of their employees' premiums may qualify for the small business healthcare tax credit. This can provide a valuable benefit to your business.
Lower premiums result in reduced coverage and higher deductibles for employees. You'll need to balance monthly premiums against coverage limitations and deductibles when selecting a health insurance plan for your business.
As a business owner, you'll need to consider the trade-offs between premium costs and coverage levels when choosing a health insurance plan for your employees.
How Insurance Works
To offer employer-provided health insurance, you must have at least one full-time employee who is not a family member. This employee must work 30 hours a week or more.
Employers must offer health insurance to all full-time employees, not just managers or highly skilled workers. This means everyone who meets the 30-hour workweek requirement is eligible.
You can't limit health insurance to certain individuals within your business. This is a strict rule to ensure everyone has access to the same benefits.
Small business owners can compare health insurance plans through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). This government-run marketplace makes it easy to research costs and coverage.
To opt-in to your employer-provided health insurance plan, 70% of your uninsured, full-time employees must agree. However, this 70% rule doesn't apply between November 15th and December 15th of any given year.
Aetna Small Business Health Insurance
Aetna Small Business Health Insurance offers employer-sponsored healthcare coverage, where the cost is typically split between the business and the employee. This is a common practice among small businesses to attract and retain talent.
As a small business owner, you're not legally obligated to provide healthcare for your employees, but many choose to do so. Many workers prefer to receive part of their compensation in employer-covered health insurance premiums because these are not subject to federal income and payroll taxes.
Insurance for Small Business Owners
As a small business owner, it's essential to understand the basics of health insurance for your employees. Many small business owners choose to provide healthcare coverage as a way to attract and retain talent, and it's a benefit that many workers prefer to receive.
You're not legally obligated to provide health insurance for your employees, but it's a great way to show your employees you care about their well-being. The cost of this benefit is typically split between the business and the employee.
To offer employer-provided health insurance, you must have at least one full-time employee who is not a spouse or family member. This employee must work 30 hours a week or more to qualify.
Small business owners can easily compare health insurance plans through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), a government-run marketplace created as part of the Affordable Care Act. You can also research costs and coverage by contacting individual companies or health insurance brokerages.
When selecting a health insurance plan for your business, you'll want to balance price, coverage, and out-of-network flexibility to find the best fit. This will ensure you're providing a plan that meets the needs of your business and employees.
A Growing Niche
SimplePay Health, a plan design concept, has been around since 2018. It's a growing marketplace niche that's worth exploring.
Aetna is the exclusive distributor of SimplePay, which means they're the only ones offering this plan to their clients. This partnership is a significant development in the world of small business health insurance.
SimplePay, along with other similar products like Surest, is designed to encourage plan members to use preferred healthcare providers by keeping out-of-pocket costs low. This approach is especially effective for "shoppable" care, which is non-urgent and non-emergency in nature.
Employers are looking for innovative ways to save money on healthcare costs, which are projected to increase by 8% year over year in 2025. This is driving the demand for plan design and health network strategies that offer lower-cost, high-quality providers and care sites.
Features and Services
With Aetna small business health insurance, you can easily manage your plan and benefits through their user-friendly app. The Aetna Health app allows you to compare doctors, schedule appointments, and view claims all in one place.
You can also expect a personalized approach to your business's unique needs. Aetna works with you to understand your business and craft a customized insurance package that meets your benefit goals.
Aetna prioritizes your employees' health and well-being, offering proactive, preventive care, well-being assessments, and health coaching to help them reach better health.
Digital Innovation
Digital innovation is at the forefront of Aetna's approach to healthcare. They're investing in digital health solutions to connect members with quality care that fits their lives.
Aetna has introduced a new virtual care solution, delivered by 98point6, which provides 24/7 access to U.S.-based, board-certified doctors through a secure, in-app messaging platform.
This innovative solution allows employees to have their primary care needs met through text-based conversations, eliminating the need for in-person visits. With 98point6, employees can get answers to questions, diagnoses, treatments, and referrals to specialists and resources within the Aetna network.
Aetna's virtual care solution is integrated with their employee health plan, making it easy to access and use. The solution also includes features such as prescription ordering and lab testing.
In addition to virtual care, Aetna offers a user-friendly health app that allows employees to manage their claims, compare doctors, and schedule appointments. This app is available for download on the Apple app store.
Here are some key features of Aetna's digital innovation:
- Virtual care solution with 24/7 access to board-certified doctors
- Secure, in-app messaging platform
- Text-based primary care
- Prescription ordering and lab testing
- User-friendly health app for managing claims and scheduling appointments
Right in Your Community
In Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, and Coconino counties, Banner Health Network offers integrated health care options for employers.
You can find a doctor in your network with over 2,956 primary care doctors and 19,123 specialists available.
The Banner Health Network includes providers from HonorHealth and Northern Arizona Healthcare, making it a comprehensive choice for health care.
With 38 hospitals, 172 urgent care centers, 36 walk-in clinics, and 13 Banner Health Centers, you'll have access to a wide range of health care services.
Here are some key statistics about the Banner Health Network:
Network Providers
Network providers play a crucial role in health insurance plans. They're a group of medical care providers who have negotiated lower fees with insurance companies in exchange for a stable customer base.
Insurance companies incentivize users to go to in-network providers, which can include primary care practitioners, dentists, psychiatrists, optometrists, and other medical specialists. This can lead to cost savings for plan members.
If you have an HMO or EPO plan, you're required to seek help exclusively through in-network providers. This means you can't visit out-of-network doctors or hospitals without facing higher costs.
On the other hand, PPO and POS plans offer more flexibility, allowing you to choose between in- and out-of-network providers. However, you can expect to pay more for out-of-network services.
In some cases, HMOs require you to select a primary care physician (PCP) who will act as a gatekeeper, issuing referrals to in-network specialists for more complex health problems. This can be beneficial for those who value having a single point of contact for their healthcare needs.
Here's a breakdown of the four types of health insurance plans that use network providers:
Having a large network of providers can be beneficial, especially if you live in an area with limited healthcare options. For example, Banner|Aetna offers a clinically connected network with over 2,956 primary care doctors and 19,123 specialists, making it easier for plan members to find the care they need.
Getting Started
To schedule a free consultation to review your Aetna small business health insurance options, click on the Calendly inline widget.
You'll need to determine if your business qualifies for small group health insurance, as there are special participation requirements for "Owner Only" enrolling small groups in NY.
We work with all health insurance carriers, including the New York State of Health, to help you navigate the new rules and regulations brought about by Healthcare Reform.
Most small businesses don't have the time or resources to employ a benefits administrator, which is where Peak Advisors, Inc. comes in to handle enrollments, employee administration, and annual renewals.
We review your plan each year to ensure your benefits are in line with your business needs.
If you're already unhappy with your current broker, we'd be happy to administer your account for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is small business health insurance per month?
For small business health insurance, the average annual premium is around $23,968, which breaks down to approximately $1,997 per month for family coverage.
Does Aetna have commercial plans?
Yes, Aetna offers commercial insurance plans for various groups, including employer groups, individuals, and labor groups. We provide coverage options tailored to meet the unique needs of each group.
Sources
- https://www.aetna.com/employers-organizations.html
- https://peakinsuranceadvisors.com/new-york-group-health-insurance-small-business-health-plans/
- https://money.com/best-health-insurance-for-small-business/
- https://www.banneraetna.com/en/employers.html
- https://www.hrdive.com/news/aetna-launched-copay-only-health-plan/732215/
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