Businesses Could Implement Preventive Medicine Programs to Reduce Health Costs, Survey Says

Businesses should implement preventive health care and other programs to help reduce the nation's "spiraling" health care costs, and Congress should "refrain from adding costly new mandates" such as patients' rights and mental health parity requirements, according to a National Association of Manufacturers report released Sept. 4, CongressDaily/AM reports (CongressDaily/AM, 9/5). The report, based on a survey of 750 NAM member companies, analyzed the health care "cost pressures" that businesses face and outlined several recommendations to help reduce costs and to improve employee benefits, quality of care and health. According to the report, companies should promote "healthy behavior" through management-employee partnerships, establish wellness programs supported by financial incentives for employees, increase health education for employees, encourage health promotion and education for smaller businesses, offer health insurance tax credits and incentives for employees, establish association health plans for smaller businesses and partner with hospitals and physician groups to reduce medical errors. The report also recommended a partnership between companies and HHS to establish a "clearinghouse for information" about the health care quality nationwide. In addition, the report asked lawmakers to "alleviate cost pressures" on businesses through refundable health insurance tax credits and association health plans and "refrain from adopting additional mandates." NAM President Jerry Jasinowski said, "If small and medium U.S. manufacturers continue to face double-digit health care inflation ... it won't be long before they're forced to reduce or eliminate health care benefits." He added, "Quality health care upfront means reduced costs in the long run" (NAM release, 9/4). The report, titled "Health Care at the Crossroads: Manufacturers' Agenda for Lower Costs and Higher Quality," is available online.