Healthcare benefits are employee benefits which offer assistance with healthcare costs. They are most commonly seen in the United States, where citizens do not have a national health system to rely upon for healthcare, and therefore employers use healthcare benefits as a perk to attract employees. The type of coverage offered under such benefits varies widely, and for people who are interested in receiving healthcare benefits as part of a compensation package, it is a good idea to research a company's policy on benefits and to talk to existing employees about the company health plan, if possible.
Classically, an employer offers employees some form of group health insurance, or a set amount to spend on healthcare or personal insurance plans each year. Employees may be offered insurance after working for a set period of time, or right away, and the level of coverage is usually linked to employment status, with part time employees receiving fewer benefits. Depending on the company's plan, employees may have to opt into the healthcare plan, paying a small fee while the company pays the bulk of the premium, or the employer may cover all insurance-related costs.
Under group benefits, employees can have access to a variety of healthcare plans, including indemnity plans, under which people pay for services at the time they are rendered, and submit a bill to the insurance company for reimbursement, and managed care plans like health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs), which provide care through a network of providers.
Standard healthcare benefits just offer basic healthcare. For things like dental and vision care, employees may need to pursue additional insurance plans. The plan may also fail to cover elective surgical procedures, focusing specifically on wellness and emerging conditions, with people paying out of pocket for plastic surgery, fertility treatment, and other types of medical care which are viewed as elective or optional.
Getting medical coverage through a job can save a substantial amount of money, especially in the case of people who are taking care of a family. For this reason, healthcare benefits are often highly sought after, and employers who have a good record of offering such benefits may find that they have a large pool of highly qualified applicants to choose from whenever a job opening arises. People may also integrate benefits into salary negotiations, pushing for better benefits as part of a compensation package before they agree to take a position in a new company.