Tired of Spending a Small Fortune on Group Health Insurance?

It's "open enrollment" season for many Americans, the time of year when employers make changes to their health insurance benefits. Unfortunately, this year many employees will learn that their health insurance costs are going up, or that their coverage will soon be discontinued.

The average cost of employer-sponsored health insurance premiums has increased over 80 percent since 2000, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Fewer and fewer businesses are offering health insurance benefits at all. Businesses that continue to supply health insurance are being forced to shift a greater portion of the costs to their employees. With trends like this, what can you do to save on health insurance costs this season?

Here are a few suggestions:

* Consider private health coverage. Employer-sponsored health coverage may not be your most affordable option. Group health plans are designed for everyone in the company, but a private, individual health insurance plan may be more appropriate for your personal needs and budget.

"To shop smart and save money on any purchase, you need to know what's available in the market," says eHealthInsurance executive Bruce Telkamp. "It's the same with shopping for new health coverage. Health insurance agents can help you save money by introducing you to the different types of health plans available from the major health insurance companies in your area."

* Cover your kids separately. Employers typically cover less of the monthly health insurance premium for dependents than they do for employees. Some employers don't cover dependents at all. There are a lot of affordable individual health insurance options available for kids and you may save money by opting them out of your employer-sponsored plan.

* Ask your employer about HSA-eligible plans. These are health insurance plans that can be paired with a tax-advantaged Health Savings Account (HSA). Both employers and employees can make special pre-tax contributions to an employee's personal HSA. Funds in the HSA can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses or saved and invested.

Whether you need to supplement your coverage, or want to find out if there are better plans available, a good place to turn is www.ehealthinsurance.com,  a licensed health insurance agency that makes more than 7,000 different plans from 160 health insurance companies available in one convenient location. For more information about individual and family health insurance options and Health Savings Accounts visit www.ehealthinsurance.com.

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