Monopoly economics in march11/10/2023 In today’s strong labor market, which boasts the lowest unemployment rate in 54 years, businesses are reluctant to demand changes from healthcare’s biggest players-regardless of whether they should. So, what starts as a 6% annual increase ends up costing employees 3%, the government 1% and businesses only 2%. Their departures only reduce the company’s medical spend in future years.įinally, businesses know that employee medical costs are tax deductible, which cushions the impact of premium increases. As for employees with ongoing, expensive medical problems, employers typically don’t mind watching them walk out the door over high out-of-pocket costs. Meaning, most workers won’t feel the sting in a typical year. A high deductible plan forces the beneficiary to pay “first dollar” for their medical care, which significantly reduces the premium cost paid by the employer.īusinesses also realize that high deductibles will only financially burden employees who experience an unexpected, catastrophic illness or accident. Business leaders have figured out how to transfer much of their added premium costs to employees in the form of high-deductible health plans. One reason they tolerate hefty rate hikes-rather than battling insurers, hospitals and doctors- involves a surprising truth about insurance premiums. In fact, employers are willing to shoulder 5% to 6% increases in insurance premiums each year (double their average rate of revenue growth) without putting up much or any resistance. Instead, companies take a more passive position. You’d think they would insist that employees get their care through technologically advanced, multispecialty medical groups, which deliver superior outcomes when compared to solo physician practices. You might assume they’d want to push back against the prevailing “fee for service” payment model, replacing it with a form of reimbursement that rewards doctors and hospitals for the quality (not quantity) of care they provide. With all that clout, you’d think business executives would demand more from healthcare’s conglomerate of monopolies. And they provide health insurance to more than half the American population. GDP, generating more than $16 trillion in revenue. In fact, the Fortune 500 represents two-thirds of the U.S. Private payers wield significant power and influence of their own.
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