As our federal legislators grapple with political ideology and lose sight of the focus of healthcare reform – crippling rising healthcare costs – employers all over this country are faced with a grim reality of another year of healthcare costs increases that are 2-3x higher than general inflation.
American healthcare spending reached $2.4 trillion in 2008 – and will exceed $4 trillion by 2018 if left on its current course.
Traditional health insurance options haven’t just failed to stop the bleeding – they have also kept us in the dark and robbed of us our choices. Everyone is responsible for a small part of healthcare spending, and individuals have the power to turn the situation around.
What can you do to lower costs and improve the health and well-being of your employees? You can embrace the three principles of Consumer-Driven Health Plans (CDHP):
- Transparency – seek out information such as the cost and quality of healthcare
- Responsibility – live a healthy lifestyle and evaluate treatment options
- Opportunity – become healthier and more productive, which will make you feel better AND save money by “banking” what you don’t spend for the future
Real behavior change isn’t easy and your employees need help learning how to live a healthier, more responsible lifestyle. How do you help them? You can start by building a culture of wellness and implementing a wellness program that is tailored to meet the unique needs of your employees and their families.
