You've Got to Wonder Where This Is Going to End Up
May 11, 2009 — We’ve got an item in our Newsline today that reports the result of a January survey conducted by Watson Wyatt and National Business Group on Health (NBGH) of 489 large U.S. employers (which is typically how we describe the WorldatWork membership, too). Reportedly, 19% are moving away from directly providing health care benefits, which is up a good distance from the mere 4% who said something similar in 2008. Further, the number of employers reporting they are "very confident" that they will be offering employee health care 10 years from now is at 62%, down from 73% just a year ago.
I think these numbers are saying something pretty noteworthy, and when you add them to what I saw scrolling across the screen on CNN ticker last night (paraphrasing): "Obama secures business support for his health care plan," I've got the sense that there is some momentum this year to cause a major shift in how health care is delivered in the U.S.
My colleagues over at Public Policy Perceptions have mentioned health care in their blog post for today, too, and they've mentioned that the president is giving a speech on the topic today. So, as the economy heads toward a "bottoming out" and the war moves further into the background, maybe the country is ready to start talking about health care.
I remember hearing an executive from a Fortune 20 company a few years ago state clearly that his company wouldn't be the first company to stop offering health care to employees, but they also wouldn't be the last. When his competitors started heading for the exit, he would be right behind them. So, after countless years of brutal health-care cost increases, could the soft economy finally be pushing employers past the point of merely complaining about how this is a competitiveness issue — to action?
Where is the successful federal program that will be the model for our government health care system? I haven't seen it yet. When the system becomes bogged down, and it will, what will our government do? Bail it out with funds it doesn't have. The result will be more corporate and individual taxation. Once all the uninsured today in this country have access to free healthcare, and the boomers reach advanced age, where will we get the trained doctors, nurses, and practitioners to serve them? There's already an growing shortage of healthcare providers. They can't afford the malpractice insurance. Where does it all stop?
Frank C Kuchar, CCP, PHR, CPP, CEBS Supervisor Payroll Accounting Member Since: 6/1/2002 Comments: 10
Ryan,I can tell you exactly where this is going to end up. We will be a full-blown socialist nation with a second-rate health system, broken down just like it is in England and everywhere else it has been implemented.Of course, the administration and those in power in congress don't care about that - their only interest is in a power grab of more control over portions of our lives, just like all good Marxists want.
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