How to Negotiate Health Benefits

Health benefits are an important source of compensation in your professional life. Comprehensive health benefits allow you to get needed care for a low price, so you can stay on the job. The process of negotiating health benefits with your new employer requires extensive knowledge and a calm approach.

Instructions

Maximize Your Compensation Through Health Benefits

1. Speak directly with your company's health benefits representative to effectively negotiate a better policy. This professional acts as a middleman between employees and the health care provider, dealing with concerns and grievances. Many employees make the mistake of negotiating with a human-resource professional who has no say in the benefits program.

2. Assess the claims process for your health benefits before you sign an employment agreement. Finalists for positions with major corporations often receive prospectuses for different health plans as sales tools. You should know how insurance claims are filed and the contact person for your account to determine areas of weakness in the system.

3. Promote the need for a larger roster of providers offered through your health insurance. Large employers have some clout with local or regional insurance companies that rely on corporate insurance for a good portion of their profits. You should cite geographical limitations for employees who need to use approved providers.

4. Consult with your employer about the inclusion of specialty services in your health insurance policy. This area of negotiation is easier to gain concessions from employers because insurance policies can be adjusted to cover services by cardiologists and other specialists. State that this initial investment helps keep workers on the job.

5. Express concerns over employer contributions to health care benefits while you negotiate your contract. Encourage your employer to keep the contribution process transparent to build trust with employees throughout the company.

6. Use the negotiation process to encourage the use of health savings accounts (HSA) as supplements to your insurance. Health savings accounts are attached to certain insurance policies as means of saving money for future medical costs. The maintenance of these accounts costs nothing for the employer and allows employees to conserve money.

Tips & Warnings

• Work within the parameters of current company benefits in order to negotiate effectively for better health care. Companies have to purchase insurance policies that provide adequate service to the whole company instead of concentrating on individual needs. Learn about the health care provider your company works with to determine the limits of its services.