Why Alaska Private Practice Owners Need a Health Insurance Broker: Specialty-Specific Benefits
Running a medical practice in Alaska means you’re constantly juggling patient care with the business side of things. Between seeing patients, handling billing, and managing daily operations, finding time to research group health insurance isn’t something you have very much bandwidth for.
If you’re like most healthcare providers, you became a doctor, dentist, or physical therapist to help people — not to become an expert on employee benefits. Yet here you are, trying to figure out how to take care of your team while keeping your practice running smoothly.
“When you’re running your practice with just two employees, it might not make sense for you to set up group health insurance. We’ll look at everything comprehensively and advise you on the best option for you and your staff,” says Shayla Teague, health insurance broker with Ark Insurance Solutions Alaska. “Consider us your health insurance consultants.”
From occupational health therapists to pediatric doctors, our health insurance brokers understand the nuances of your business and your specific needs. Our goal is to help you maneuver through a complex world of regulation and paperwork without breaking a sweat.
Health insurance brokers make a huge difference for private practice owners in Alaska
The insurance landscape in Alaska comes with specific challenges, like limited carriers, high costs, access barriers and rural healthcare limitations. Ark’s professional guidance helps you navigate your options and save money by providing you with the most competitive plans.
For many private practice owners who’ve come to Alaska seeking adventure, enrolling in health insurance coverage is just good peace-of-mind. And finding affordable coverage is even better. So, if you’re a physical therapist who loves mountain biking, you’ll not only safeguard yourself, but also the financial health of your practice by finding a reasonable health plan that covers all of your bases.
“I often hear, ‘Oh wow, that’s not as bad as I thought it would be’ when meeting with practice owners. It’s easy to assume that providing health insurance is expensive, but we have solutions that can work within your budget,” says Teague.
Why choose Ark Insurance Solutions Alaska over large brokerages
Large brokerages often tell small medical practices it’s “not even worth it” to explore group insurance options. They’re focused on businesses with 100+ employees and don’t have products designed for small groups.
At Ark Insurance Solutions Alaska, we don’t think a practice with 2-20 employees is too small. In fact, you’re exactly who we’re here to help. We take a white-glove, concierge approach, walking you through every step and making sure you understand your options.
We also offer something larger brokerages simply don’t do. If a group health plan isn’t the right path for you, we’ll come to your practice during open enrollment and help your employees secure individual health insurance. And if you’re just not sure, we’ll sit down and explore all of the options with you.
“Say you’re a chiropractor running a private practice with part-time massage therapists in-office,” says Teague. “It can get confusing when you’re trying to calculate hours and figure out what you can offer for insurance coverage. We take the time to help you understand what qualifies and what doesn’t.”
Taking care of those who take care of others
You spend your days providing critical care to your patients. Your staff works just as hard, often in physically and emotionally demanding roles. Employee benefits and other medical specialties aren’t just nice to have — they’re essential for attracting and retaining the quality team members who help your practice thrive.
For example, if you’re a primary care physician or pediatric doctor who’s overwhelmed with seeing patients and running your practice, you don’t have time to dig into the myriad of health insurance options. And just because you’re managing the health and well-being of your community, that doesn’t mean you or your staff should go without adequate health insurance.
We do the work for you, by comparing the full range of group health insurance options available to small practices and finding a plan that makes the most sense for you and your staff.
How Ark Insurance Solutions Alaska helps all practice types
The reality is, whether you’re in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Fairbanks, or anywhere across Alaska’s western and northern regions, the challenges are very similar. You’re in the weeds seeing patients, not sitting at a desk doing administrative work.
“Alaska really runs on small businesses, and we put so much into supporting community-based medical practices,” says Teague. “There just aren’t enough resources for business owners to navigate Alaska’s insurance marketplace, and that’s exactly where we come in to help.”
Here’s where working with a specialized broker makes all the difference:
Free, personalized consultations to understand your unique practice needs
Direct comparison of all available options in Alaska’s limited market (primarily Moda and Premera)
Ongoing support for claims and coverage questions — no phone trees
Annual reviews to ensure your coverage remains competitive
Streamlined enrollment through our Employee Navigator system, eliminating paper applications
Alternative solutions like Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements when traditional group plans are too expensive
Ready to get started?
Your private practice in Alaska has individual insurance needs based on your specialty, staff composition and practice size. Working with a health insurance broker doesn’t just save you time and money, but it also frees you from the frustration of navigating the healthcare marketplace, while getting you the right coverage for your specific situation.
Best of all? Our services are completely free to you, since we’re compensated by the insurance carriers — not by your practice.
Contact us to request a no-obligation consultation about how we can help your practice!
