www.healthoptionsworldwide.com: Health Options Worldwide Offers a Free Webinar on 'Health Care Trends and Employers: New Strategies for a Changing Marketplace'

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Faced with soaring health care costs, companies are implementing new strategies to reduce overall health care expenditures, improve the quality of care, and empower employees to take greater responsibility for their health. "Employers want to provide health insurance coverage for their employees, but are afraid of the high costs associated with a self-funded employer solution," said David Goldstein, president of Health Options Worldwide (HOW), a healthcare IT company that strategically partners with employers, TPAs, and insurers to reduce surgical costs and improve retention.  HOW also provides international medical tourism, domestic medical travel, vacation surgery, and medical travel agency services that connect patients with physicians through its website, http://www.healthoptionsworldwide.com.

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According to a survey by Wells Fargo Insurance Services, the cost of employer health plans will likely increase within the next six months. There are many types of affordable health insurance coverage options for businesses that can be beneficial for workers, such as value based health care plans and supplemental health care solutions. However, more and more employers are seeking out different types of health insurance plans for their employees merely because they know they can help their workers in many different ways.

Healthcare reform provisions already underway have not abated the trends in claims nor have they alleviated the costs in the industry. Other factors influencing these trends and costs are inflation, increased use of services, aging population, as well as changes in provider treatment patterns, medical technology and drug therapy improvements.

Buzzwords like high deductible health plan surgery and voluntary surgery networks are soon to become commonplace in the healthcare market. "Claims and costs continue to rise in employee benefits, so understandably employers as well as third party administrators, consultants and healthcare providers can benefit from learning innovative ways employers are seeking to control risk, get employees more actively involved in managing their healthcare and the effectiveness of their healthcare spending," said Goldstein.

"HOW levels the medical playing field by leveraging the growing trend of consumer-driven health care," said Goldstein. Their website connects patients with physicians that offer high quality, low cost healthcare in the United States as well as internationally. "Medical travel is sure to influence the next generation of PPO's by providing employees with more local and regional treatment options with substantial overall healthcare cost savings and improved surgical outcomes," said Goldstein of his website's services.

To help employers navigate their healthcare insurance options and show TPAs, insurers and healthcare providers how to respond accordingly, HOW is conducting a free webinar entitled "Health Care Trends and Employers: New Strategies for a Changing Marketplace." The webinar, which takes place Thursday, December 2nd, at 10 a.m. EST or 4 p.m. EST, covers the current state of the healthcare marketplace and employer benefit strategies that improve benefit offerings.

Participants can register for 10 a.m. EST: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/526273158

Participants can register for 4 p.m. EST: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/505357078

If participants have any questions or problems registering for the webinar, please contact Chris Peterson at 877-234-1345 or via email at: [email protected]. For more information, visit the HOW website at: www.healthoptionsworldwide.com.

CONTACT: David Goldstein, President, Health Options Worldwide, 1-877-234-1345

SOURCE Health Options Worldwide (HOW)