Chamber members who have young, healthy employees would probably be able to get insurance cheaper on their own. That means it would only be those members with older, sicker work forces that would join a chamber group -- making it an expensive group to insure.

For those who ask, Barry E. Johnson, chief executive of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, directs members seeking health coverage to Eileen Conlon, president of HRH of Florida, an insurance broker.

Conlon will talk about the possibilities of professional employer organizations. ‘‘Generally, they bundle services, such as payroll," she says.

TRY A PEO

The PEO might have 500 small-business clients and offer them a variety of human resources functions, including benefits such as 401(k)s. As part of this, they could lump the 500 businesses into a health plan group and get a considerably better rate with an insurer. They might be particularly helpful for companies scrambling to get workers comp coverage as well.

"Usually the PEO won't take companies with less than five employees, and they have to have at least five employees in the plan," says Bob Ziegler of PEO Source, which serves as a broker for those seeking PEOs.

PEOs, unlike insurers, can also turn down small businesses if they think the risk is too great. The PEOs don't offer health coverage themselves, but take all of their clients as a large group and get a quote from a major insurer. This large group is likely to have a broad range of employees by age and physical condition, spreading the risk.

Saunders, in Plantation, says when he's looked into PEOs for some clients, "99 percent of the time'' they don't prove to be a good deal. "It's not something I would suggest," he says.

But Leon, the Miami broker, says sometimes PEOs can work. He showed a work sheet for a 14-person group in which he found that traditional coverage would cost $328 per employee a month, while in a PEO, the cost would be $241.

For further information, go to the website of National Association of Professional Employer Organizations -- napeo.org.

Leon adds that the real key for any business owner seeking a healthy workforce is to drive home the message that much of a person's physical condition is caused by the basics: diet and exercise.

By regulation, insurers are required to give a wellness discount for employers who offer smoking cessation and weight-watching programs, says Leon. That discount might be small, and regulation limits the variations in premiums for small businesses, but high deductibles and climbing co-pays could be cut down by bosses promoting wellnesses, even inviting employees on early morning jogs.

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