September of 2018 Edition
A business leader is responsible for establishing the strategic direction of their organization. In doing so, they make daily decisions that impact not only sales, but also the organization’s expenses. How much is the opportunity to review and direct change for the better worth? It’s a question facing health insurance buyers over the next several months. Self-funding the company’s employee benefit plan undeniably offers the opportunity to review and better manage the plan’s costs. Self-funding includes, however, a variable cost that could be 10% more over the next twelve months when compared to another funding choice where you receive no information or control. So what is the right choice for the 700,000 business leaders with 20 to 1000 employees throughout our country?
When you consider health insurance costs are a top 3 expense and have doubled for most businesses over the past four to five years, the question of whether to pursue complete disclosure of the data and conduct a root cause analysis doesn’t seem like a choice. Rather, this business decision sounds like a mandate. Self-insure, get the data and find out what is causing the rising cost. Do not let a 10% negative variance of possible cost that happens less than 1% of the time scare you away from taking control.
Once the information and control is realized then act, contain rising costs and return your employees raises to them. Any employer and their advisor will be glad they made the choice for information and control. It’s worth it!
– Mike Schroeder
