The end of sweeping cuts in employee health benefits and the beginning of another trend is in sight, says Mike Miles, vice
president and senior benefits consultant at Gregory & Appel Insurance.
Employers have slashed benefits so deeply that the cuts are starting to backfire. One example is co-pays. Shift enough of the cost to workers and they become reluctant to spend their own money to see a doctor. Then the chances of nipping big â?? read expensive â?? problems in the bud become more difficult.
Some companies, particularly in certain industries, will continue reducing benefits, Miles says, but the overall push is losing steam.
Now employers are turning to actively encouraging workers to take better care of themselves, with an emphasis on â??actively.â?? Some are beginning to offer discounts on insurance to show up for health screenings, and incentives and coaching to get healthy.
In some cases, companies are bringing screenings and other health offerings to the work place â?? anything to cajole employees to take action.
â??You canâ??t penalize people,â?? Miles says. â??They have to do something, so theyâ??re looking at strategies.â??
How do you feel about this? If your work place offers these benefits, do you use them? Would you if they were offered?
Employers have slashed benefits so deeply that the cuts are starting to backfire. One example is co-pays. Shift enough of the cost to workers and they become reluctant to spend their own money to see a doctor. Then the chances of nipping big â?? read expensive â?? problems in the bud become more difficult.
Some companies, particularly in certain industries, will continue reducing benefits, Miles says, but the overall push is losing steam.
Now employers are turning to actively encouraging workers to take better care of themselves, with an emphasis on â??actively.â?? Some are beginning to offer discounts on insurance to show up for health screenings, and incentives and coaching to get healthy.
In some cases, companies are bringing screenings and other health offerings to the work place â?? anything to cajole employees to take action.
â??You canâ??t penalize people,â?? Miles says. â??They have to do something, so theyâ??re looking at strategies.â??
How do you feel about this? If your work place offers these benefits, do you use them? Would you if they were offered?
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That is what health insurance used to be before the unions started demanding coverage for doctor visits, prescription medicine and incidentals. Corporations started caving in and others fell in line. That is what started, and is largely responsible for, 50% of the costs we incur today.
Unfortunately, we all are going to have to get used to health care insurance being just that - coverage for catastrophic costs. And if this government thinks they can do otherwise and not totally bankrupt the US, they're nuts - well they're that anyway......
Secondly, every one of us is already paying for the uninsured. People need to drop the idea that we are not. You are paying for the uninsured through your property tax bill and your high deductibles right now. You are caring for the them in the most expensive manner by not giving them primary care and seeing them in the ER when they are decompensating from poorly managed chronic diseases.
Third, wellness programs are great and should be encouraged. They don't help a lot if you have cancer or a genetically based disease. Then, you need regular access to a doctor who you can afford to see.
Is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in especially after Congress refused to act to secure our pourous borders?
I think it's a great idea for employers to do everything they can to encourage employees to be healthy. If employees are healthy, they will be more apt to come to work and produce. Everybody is happy, right?
Please, I have no illusions about being anything close to perfect. I have nothing more than some knowledge and many opinions. Why is it always wrong or hateful for conservative opinions to be expressed?
As you state, I agree it is always right for employers to engage programs to enable employees to better themselves. Unfortunately, many people just won't motivate themselves to improve or be consistent about it. When they do, more power to them.
I just get tired of people expecting as if it is a right for the federal government to provide such things as health care to all citizens. That was never the intention of the founding fathers and, frankly, we can't afford it now, regardless of how unfair that may sound. That's not hate, it's just pragmatism.