New Trends in Health Care Cost Control

Abstract

The first decade of the new millennium will see a reshaping of the American health care delivery system and the corporate role within that system. The days are numbered for one-size-fits-all programs as companies realize that employee-driven health care is the way to cut costs. Double-digit premium hikes are unsustainable in good times, much less in weakened markets. It will take cooperation from all interested parties to form a more rational approach. Legal disputes will continue, and defined contribution programs will be tested. A move to any new model will demand adjustments. Regardless, the challenges of health care cannot be solved without active employer involvement because employers have the most to gain from a rational system—and the most to lose from the existing one. Employers need to promote and participate in dialogue that will reshape the way we think about health care.