Employers are the largest source of health insurance coverage for working Americans. They are well aware of the cost increases of late and what they could be facing in the future without some sort of reform, but are fearful that new mandates could create more burdensome costs.
Regardless of what changes are to come with a reform bill, employers will still need to find more sure and steady ways to reduce expenses while still offering employees coverage.
One answer could be to partner with a human resources organization (HRO). Working with an HRO gives small and mid-sized employers access to the options and buying power comparable to that of larger organizations. The offerings available through an HRO can make quality insurance a reality for any employer struggling with insurance cost increases.
Smart Business spoke to Rob Wilson, president of Employco Group Inc., a division of The Wilson Companies, to learn more about reform, cost control and what companies can do to ease their burden.
What are the most significant issues employers need to pay attention to as reform talks go forward?
There is a lot of ambiguity surrounding the talks of health care reform for businesses of all sizes. Even without solid details regarding the reform, business owners are bracing themselves for the imminent changes.
According to the new survey results by the Kaiser Family Foundation, since 1999, health insurance premiums have increased 131 percent, which is more than triple the rise in workers’ wages and four times the overall inflation rate.
Right now the cost to cover a family on average for employers is just over $13,000. The Business Roundtable has reported that, without any reform, employer health care costs will jump 166 percent to roughly $28,530 per employee per year by 2019. By then, total health care spending would reach around $4.4 trillion.
There is no way businesses can afford to pay that much. When you look at the increases over the past ten years, it’s extremely expensive. But the federal reform is not the right answer. Who can afford to pay for federally mandated plans and the bureaucracy associated with it? The proposed health care bills will be taxing individuals and business owners at a time when the businesses are struggling to survive.
One of the biggest issues that is not addressed in federal health care legislation is tort reform. It is estimated that the industry can save $80 billion if tort reform is addressed. Why are we not focusing on that?