In recent years, the health care market has expanded to include several new options, making choosing health insurance plans for your company a difficult task. These days, getting the best health insurance plan can often mean offering a range of options that will help employees get the coverage they need.

The best health insurance plan for one employee is not necessarily the best for another. Because of this, three quarters of companies with over a thousand employees now offer multiple health insurance options, as do over half of companies with 200 to 1000 employees. Now even smaller companies are beginning to offer multiple plan options.

Offering more than one plan gives your employees the freedom to choose the health insurance best suited for them. There is little additional cost to you, so it can really improve employee satisfaction and make your small business seem a little bigger.

The main types of health insurance – HMOs, PPOs, and POS – each have specific benefits for different types of employees. The best way to compare is to either read our full Health Insurance Buyer’s Guide, or use a health care broker.

Brokers sell and service multiple health plans and insurers. Often, brokers work for agencies that can handle multiple benefits for your company: health, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, and more. They develop relationships with the insurance providers that let them act more efficiently on your behalf. They can also help your employees process claims or resolve problems: many have “patient advocates” who your employees can contact for assistance. Using a broker is often the easiest way to get the best health insurance plan for your employees.