Table of Contents

Part 1: Insurance Basics

• How Insurance Works

• Alternatives

• Beyond Perfect Health

• Help for the Uninsured

• Consumer Protection

Part 2: Getting Covered

• Gather Your Information

• Create a Schedule

• Establish a Budget

• Finding Insurance

• Implementing the Plan

Part 3: What's Available in                 My Region

• Region 1: Northwestern

• Region 2: Northern

• Region 3: Southwestern

• Region 4: Central

• Region 5: Eastern

Part 4: Helpful Hints & Info

• Hospital Costs

• Insurer Rating Companies

• Insurer Contact Info

• Glossary

Important Facts

Employees consider health insurance to be, by far, the most important fringe benefit.
• More Facts...

• Complete Guide (PDF)

You’ll need to finalize these scheduling details early in the process of shopping for an insurance plan:

• Effective date of coverage. This should be at least six weeks ahead so you’ll have time to complete the administrative steps, but no more than three months ahead so the quotes don’t expire. Most employers choose the first of the month to begin coverage.
• Plan cycle. Many plans operate on a calendar-year basis (January - December). Some plans operate on a different 12-month cycle, or your company may have specific busy seasons when you don’t want to deal with insurance issues.

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