SurveysAug 21, 2026
These Are 2026’s Hottest Retailers, Says NRFThe retailers at the top of the list offer affordable products and fun, discovery-fueled experiences.
Brought to you by
What is your Health Care Coverage Strategy?
Health care coverage is a big expense for small businesses - find out how to lower costs long-term instead of every 12 months.
Brought To You By JewelersHealthCare
Health care is probably one the most expensive line items on your balance sheet. For decades now, small businesses have been conditioned to look at health insurance in 12-month intervals, instead of with a long-term strategical lens. What if there was a way to look at health insurance as a vehicle to sustainably lower long term operational costs?
Most employers have a strategy for growth, a strategy for sales, a strategy for their workers comp/business insurance and everything in-between, but not health insurance. Large companies have the resources and infrastructure on their side to help control health care costs. They also have carriers and brokers at-the-ready offering them preferential treatment, all while small businesses question if they can even afford to offer health insurance.
As a small business, it's understandable that you have not had the time or the resources to dedicate to establishing and adhering to a strategy to lower your health care costs. Luckily, you now have the tools and the expertise to do so! The question isn’t how do I pay the lowest amount over the next 12 months, but what do I do to consistently lower my long-term costs in the coming years.
One way to start lowering health care coverage cost is by looking at plan options like level funding. Level funding is an out-of-the-box risk financing vehicle that is a steppingstone between fully insured and self-insured options. Level funded plans typically include three main components: administrative costs, individual/aggregate stop loss coverage, and claims. (We know this sounds confusing; we promise to explain.)
Level-funded plans give small businesses the freedom and autonomy of self-insurance with the financial protection of a fully insured plan. The company funds their small claims to the carrier monthly at their maximum liability. If the insured exceeds that maximum, then the carrier steps in and covers the payments. This is known as your ‘stop loss’.
At year end, the carrier does an audit of the insured’s incurred small claims vs the amount that was funded throughout the year to see if there is a surplus or deficit. If there is a surplus the employer can receive some of the unused claim funds back! A team of proactive experts, a bundle of supplemental tools and employee educational content throughout the year can help you adhere to your strategy and see potential return of claim funds.
Level funded plans deliver several benefits for small employers: cost savings, plan design flexibility, less red tape bureaucracy, lower health insurance taxes (employer facing) and access to claims data. How can this help me realize the strategy I need?
Claims are basically the holy grail to determine whether your insurance carrier is profiting off your employees or whether you are costing them money. This is why most carriers refuse to share this information if you are a small business. When you have access to your claims, it makes creating a health care coverage strategy simple.
Level funded plans offer flexibility that is unmatched by its fully insured counterparts. There are less restrictions on what an employer can do with a level funded plan, offering you flexibility with plan designs. By having more freedom with a level funded option, you are more likely to have plan continuity year-to-year which would not restrict access to care for your employees. Furthermore, by funding your claims in small increments (without paying the fully insured overhead of an insurance carrier), you get increased flexibility with improved cash flows throughout the year. If those things weren’t enough, level funded plans also allow employers to lower their state health insurance taxes!
If you are a small business and are tired of the cookie-cutter overpriced fully insured options, level funding could fit your needs. At JewelersHealthCare, you have exclusive access to learn more about your health care coverage options and speak with a licensed consultant to see if level funding could help you build the right health care coverage strategy.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Independents
The Latest
WatchesAug 21, 2026
Bremont Names Former Vacheron Constantin Exec CMODaniel Bing was formerly the marketing director for the Americas at Vacheron Constantin.
CollectionsAug 21, 2026
Bijules, Kamyen Serve Up ‘Topspin’ Tennis Bracelet Ahead of US OpenIn our Piece of the Week, the designers reimagine the tennis bracelet with green enamel wrapped around a strand of “Desert Diamonds.”
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
PodcastsAug 20, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
Weekly QuizAug 20, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TechnologyAug 20, 2026
A New AI-Powered Gemstone Identification App Is HereFounder Vik Westermann said the app is a “starting point” to inspire people to work with appraisers and gem labs, not replace them.
AuctionsAug 20, 2026
Storied Unicorn Brooch Up for Auction Gallops to New Home The Verdura brooch, which belonged to the late Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, was sold to a private collector in Asia.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2026
MJSA Education Foundation Names 5 Scholarship WinnersThe five students were awarded a total of $10,000 through the nonprofit’s 2026 “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarship.
MajorsAug 20, 2026
Plumb Club Elects 2026-2027 BoardSteven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
