New Study: Employers Rethink Their Role in Healthcare
Employer Provided Health Care May Be a Thing of the Past
Austin, Texas: A new report from PriceWaterhouseCoopers shows that employers are beginning to seriously reconsider their roles in providing health care to their employees.
According to the report, “with the Supreme Court ruling to uphold the Affordable Care Act and the president’s re-election, employers have never had a better opportunity to re-examine their long term role in providing health care coverage. The year 2013 will likely be the turning point for how healthcare benefits evolve over the next decade.
Employers may decide to transition out of healthcare altogether or elect to move toward a defined contribution approach with the exchanges. Others will double down on cost reduction efforts through consumer-driven healthcare or wellness programs – but, it won’t be easy. HRI research found that only 21% of consumers have changed their behavior as a result of their employer changing benefit offerings or wellness programs.
As the wheels of commerce take over, the handwriting is on the wall.
Many companies will indeed to opt out of healthcare either entirely or in incremental stages.
However employees need to begin to become more active in their own health and wellness.
It is inconceivable that only 21% of employers have changed their behaviors since their employers have opted out of directly providing health care benefits or have implemented a wellness program.
Either the wellness programs are just window dressing and not really intended to inspire and encourage increased wellness, fitness and weight loss – or people are apathetic.
Unless they wake up and get involved in taking responsibility for their own health and wellness, this country will continue to see an increase in diabetes, heart disease and other factors caused by excessive weight.
As ObamaCare forces us all to be our Brother’s Keeper (since we are all paying into it in some form or another) – it is crucial for friends, family and co-workers to more forcibly nudge, encourage and guit into becoming more active.
It is not just up to the employer.
Churches, temples, synagogues, as well as other groups need to use their pulpit to preach wellness and fitness– both spiritually AND physically.
Perhaps Medicare and Medicaid, as well as Social Security can be tied in some way to fitness levels as another form of means testing!??!
In these times of fiscal restraint, nobody wants to pay more than their fair share. It only stands to reason that co-workers and friends will soon become angry if they need to continue to pay more because of the lack of fitness of their peers.
A Fat Tax? Perhaps.
Regardless, as employers get less engaged in paying for health care, it is up to the individual to become motivated to improve their health and well-being.
Here’s to a Healthier Tomorrow!
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