Struggling to find ways to cut costs and stay afloat in this tough economy, many small business owners are eliminating healthcare benefits for their employees. Even scarier, faced with skyrocketing insurance premiums, some entrepreneurs are even dropping coverage for themselves and their families and going without.

There is an affordable alternative to the expensive cost of a health insurance plan.

Careington health care discount plans ensure that you have access to affordable health care for you, your family and your employees. These low-cost plans could be the ideal solution when looking at possible health care solutions for your business.

America’s Best Companies is offering its members five different plans tailored to meet individual needs.

The Dental and Vision Plan costs $10/month and can save you 20 to 50 percent off on most dental procedures including routine oral exams, unlimited cleanings, and major surgery with 62,000 leading providers. Vision savings include 5 to 15 percent off standard or promotional prices at more than 40,000 providers.

At a cost of $10/month, the Prescription Plan saves members 15 to 20 percent on brand name drugs and an average of 25 percent on generic drugs. They also have the benefit of specialty drug fulfillment through the WellDyneRX network of over 58,000 participating pharmacies nationwide including CVS, Wal-Mart and Target and discounts on over-the-counter medication with a written prescription from a physician.

Members taking advantage of the Multi-Care Plan will pay $19.95/month and have access to over 525,000 healthcare professionals with discounts ranging from 20 to 45 percent. Savings include services such as routine office visits and ancillary services, including lab work and imaging centers.

Those interested in the Total Care Plan pay $29.95 monthly and includes the Dental and Vision Plans, Prescription and Multi-Care Plans, plus additional health and wellness savings. Added programs include HearPo discounts of 30 percent on hearing exams, and savings of 10 to 30 percent on chiropractic services and many types of alternative health care therapies.

If you are concerned about the protection of your personal information, you have the option to sign up for the Protection Plan for $10/month. This plan offers complete identity theft protection through CareSweep and LifeLock, as well as enrollment in Legal Club of America, which provides discounted services from a pre-qualified network of over 20,000 attorneys in 50 states.

Small businesses need access to quality, affordable health care solutions in order to remain competitive in the landscape of American business. Basically, health benefits are required for small businesses to be able to expand and letting them compete for qualified labor.

Making health care more affordable is a top concern of small business owners and double-digit annual increases in health care costs is nearly eliminating the affordability factor.

America’s Best Companies is trying to address these issues and help small businesses stay competitive with their larger competitors by providing its members access to Careington health care discounts plans.

For more information on Careington health care discounts for ABC members, visit abcbestcare.com or call (877) 887-0707.