The Employer Bill of Rights is rooted in the mission that businesses have the right to:

receive transparent information about the costs of health care services
audit medical bills
defend fair health care payments
make direct connections with providers to achieve agreeable outcomes

Let's take a look at the eight rights that make up the Employer Bill of Rights:

Pay a fair amount for health care.

Paying for health care should be treated like any other business expense — especially since it often represents the second largest operating expense after employee wages. Employers do not have to accept the status quo for their health plan and pay medical expenses that are inflated.

Know what health care services actually cost.

A traditional PPO health plan typically leaves the employer in the dark about how plan parameters were set by the insurer and medical provider. Businesses have a right to know the cost of medical services.

Audit medical bills.

Billing mistakes and inflation of medical charges are common. Businesses and individuals have a right to carefully evaluate health care expenses. A line-by-line auditing of medical bills helps ensure the charges are accurate and fair.

Explore your health plan options.

By partnering with an informed and experienced health care consultant, employers can discover health plan options beyond the traditional PPO model. A self-funded health plan, where employers pay for medical claims as services are rendered instead of providing ongoing and advanced payments to an insurance company, can take employers on the path toward more control over healthcare spending.

Offer your employees a comprehensive and affordable benefits program.

Employees count on their employer-sponsored health plans to be reliable and financially feasible. Employers have a right to offer health care solutions that minimize the financial burden on the plan member.

Design a health plan to meet your unique needs.

The best health plans are well-rounded and flexible. Employers have the right to customize their health plan to determine the approach that best suits the needs of their business and team. Unlike traditional health plans, self-funded plans are customizable.

Defend the best interests of your business and your employees when paying for health care.

Surprise medical bills and inflated prices are common, but health care finances do not have to be handled alone. Employers and individuals have the right to access advocacy services that support fair and reasonable health care payments and help employers meet their fiduciary responsibility.

Make direct connections with providers and health systems.

Fair outcomes can be achieved when people work together. By creating direct partnerships with providers and health systems in their communities, employers can become good stewards of health care by building bridges and driving quality health care experiences for all.

Instant Insights /

It's time for transparency in health care

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