Insurance Costs

John,
When you say over $500 per employee, is that for an individual or a family? We have our insurance through the Michigan Retailers Association and it is $242 per employee and about $550 for a family (it varies a little bit, depending on # of family members). That includes drug coverage. If you go with just the basic coverage, minus drug coverage, you save about 20%. This is for a Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO, where coverage is 100%, including annual physicals.
These rates are effective July 1, having just gone up 25% from last year. I have to assume that medical costs in New Mexico are less than in Michigan, where the UAW has negotiated gold plated health coverage with the auto companies and the doc's and hospitals know it.
Can you join some organization to get better rates? Does TRAIN offer medical coverage? How about having the gift shop join a retailers association and have everyone covered that way?
I find that offering a medical, dental and 401k plan pays off in terms of retaining quality employees, especially older ones.
Michael Allen