Each year around this time, we return to the CIAB offices with an electric energy fed by our annual Employee Benefits Leadership Forum. In what is shaping up to be a healthcare revolution, employee benefits brokers are in the driver's seat.
It's no secret that brokers, employers, insurers and healthcare providers are grappling with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Deadlines are around the corner for exchange launches and tax changes, and there still isn't enough detail for the private market to respond with clarity. Some still question if the ACA can work at all, with the word “chaos” frequently used.
But there are numerous reasons to be positive about the ACA: transparency of data and provider costs and the promotion of wellness programs. It comes down to identifying cost problems and coming up with workable solutions. Brokers are in a perfect place to change the way things are done.
On the conference's first day, we heard about the U.S. obesity epidemic and the key role brokers will play in shifting that trend. According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, an additional 30 million Americans will be obese by 2030, costing an estimated $550 billion on medical expenditures. We heard it time and again: The only way to drive down costs and bend the curve is to change behavior, and educate and empower consumers.
The big-picture takeaways are many: How can brokers and consultants help employers create a healthier workforce, combat the rising costs of health care and put accountability for health back into the hands of individual employees? Why aren't employees more engaged in their health benefits programs? What is the most effective way to encourage employees to play a larger role in their health? To what extent will access to mobile technologies affect how consumers engage with providers and make health decisions?
These are the kinds of issues that position our industry well for the future. Brokers and carriers alike are actively engaged in improving people's health as companies recognize that active, fit employees also are happy, productive employees. It's about being creative and designing strong benefits programs that control costs, promote healthy living and encourage quality care. It's hard to do, but it's not impossible.
As the public policy dialogue continues, this is our way of keeping the pedal to the metal.
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