Just shooting from the hip but I don't know that there has to be a permanent wage increase.  Just that the wage increase cannot be tied to (contingent upon, etc.) health insurance.  So if the employee is paying $500/month for insurance, strike a deal where the employer pays a monthly signing bonus of $750/month for the first six months.  Depending on tax brackets that may net about $500/month after taxes.  The employee can do whatever they want to with the money (such as pay their health insurance premiums, put it toward a new boat, hookers and blow, etc.)  The key IMO is that the payment cannot be tied to the insurance premium amount (or even to a requirement to maintain insurance).

That said, this is not a tax-friendly solution for either party so I'd look harder at other options.

Rick