ChangeNow4Health

Employers’ Costs are Soaring.

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Rising health care costs have a profound affect on businesses. Employer’s must adopt consumer-focused health plans and continuously educate employees about using these plans effectively.

Few can argue that health care costs are increasing at a record rate in America, and that costs will continue to rise. Health care costs are hurting the American economy. Employers’ number one priority is controlling them.

• In the Business Roundtable’s 2005 CEO Economic Outlook Survey, 90 percent of CEOs said containing health care costs was their number one priority.
• A 2005 Towers-Perrin analysis revealed that during the past four years, employee health care costs have risen 56 percent while employer costs have gone up 63 percent.
• According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, two-thirds (66 percent) of those with health insurance say their premiums have increased over the past five years, including 38 percent who say premiums have gone up “a lot.” Around half of insured adults say their co-payments for provider visits (51 percent) and health insurance deductibles (49 percent) have risen in the same period.

What can be done?

Adopt Consumer-Focused Health Plans

In an effort to control spending, ultimately reduce annual premiums, and provide employees more choice and transparency, employers are focusing more on consumer-focused health plans.
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Educate Employees

In order for consumer-focused health plans to work, consumers must be continually educated on health care matters and any changes that occur.
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