How Do You Choose a Group Health Insurance Broker in the Inland Empire? A Guide for Riverside & San Bernardino County Employers

Why does local matter when choosing a broker in the Inland Empire?

Networks, hospital systems and carrier availability differ across California, so a broker who works in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties can check that the doctors and hospitals your employees actually use are in the network before you choose a plan. Always confirm with the carrier too, because networks can change.

An employer in Norco may have employees who live and get care in Corona, Riverside, Ontario, Fontana, Temecula or Redlands.

What small group plan options do Inland Empire employers have?

Most small employers choose from a few plan types: fully insured, employee-choice, or level-funded. A fully insured plan has a set premium and the carrier takes the claims risk. Employee-choice lets employees pick from several plans. Level-funded uses a fixed monthly amount with stop-loss protection. Which fits depends on your group.

What is a fully insured plan?

The employer pays a set monthly premium to a carrier, and the carrier takes on the claims risk. These plans are usually the simplest to understand and budget for. They are a common fit for groups that want predictable monthly costs. Eligibility, networks and renewal terms vary by carrier, so ask for the details on any plan.

What is an employee-choice program?

Instead of picking one plan for everyone, the employer sets a contribution and employees choose from several plans. These can suit groups whose employees have different needs, locations or doctors. Because employees choose, it helps to confirm which doctors and hospitals are in each plan's network. Availability and terms vary by carrier and group.

What is a level-funded plan?

The employer pays a fixed monthly amount that covers expected claims, administration and stop-loss protection. Depending on the plan design, a group may receive a refund if claims come in lower than expected. If claims run higher, the group may owe nothing extra, up to the plan's terms. Eligibility and terms vary by carrier and group, so ask before assuming.

What should a local group health broker do for you?

A local group health broker should shop and compare quotes, explain plans and costs in plain language, handle enrollment, support you at renewal, answer ongoing administration questions, and stay reachable all year, not just at open enrollment. Here is what that looks like in practice.

• Shop and compare quotes from the carriers available to your group.
• Explain the plans, networks and costs in plain language.
• Help with enrollment, including paperless open enrollment.
• Support you at renewal, including reviewing the renewal and comparing alternatives.
• Help with ongoing administration questions such as COBRA and ACA compliance, and tell you where you need an attorney or tax professional.
• Be reachable year-round, not only at open enrollment.

A good broker shows you everything, including level funding, which a lot of brokers don't understand. Many just put every plan in a spreadsheet and think they've shown you everything. Since the ACA came into play, a lot of brokers who have entered the business in the last 10 years don't have pre-ACA experience, which you definitely still need in this industry.

In recent years, many small brokerages have been bought up by larger companies. As a result, smaller employers of 50 employees or under may not get the same level of service they used to, because larger firms tend to focus on larger clients.

Who is NP Benefit Services?

NP Benefit Services is a group benefits broker based at 1791 Third Street, Norco, CA 92860, and licensed in California, Arizona and Utah (CA License #0C10932). Nelson Pillow runs the firm and has been a benefits broker for about 30 years. You can reach us at 888-954-8999. Our clients have been with us anywhere from 5 to 20 years.

How easy is it to reach NP Benefit Services?

It is easy. When you call NP Benefit Services, you get us, not a 1-800 number or a call center, and your employees can reach us directly too. We can come out and meet with your employees if you would like.

Clients tell us again and again how easy we are to reach. We also give you the tools you need at no charge through our enrollment portals, and if you can't find what you need there, contact us and we will help you out.

A big reason our clients stay with us is how accessible we are, along with the service and help their employees get. We know the small business owner is often also the HR department and wears a lot of hats. Small business owners can't spend much time on benefits outside of renewal season, and that's where we come in. We help all year so they can run their business.

What questions should you ask before you hire a broker?

Ask about licensing, which carriers and plan types the broker can quote for a group your size, who you call during the year for claim or ID card problems, any fees, compliance support, and how your employees' doctors fit each plan's network. Here are six questions to bring.

1. Are you licensed in California, and what is your license number?
2. Which carriers and plan types can you quote for a group my size?
3. Who do I call during the year when an employee has a claim or ID card problem?
4. Is there any extra fee for open enrollment or renewal?
5. How do you support compliance questions like COBRA and ACA reporting?
6. Can you show me how my employees' doctors fit the networks on each plan?

Ready to compare options? Call 888-954-8999 or request a quote from our Inland Empire group benefits page.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not a quote, policy, or guarantee of coverage. Insurance products are offered through licensed carriers.