The Health Care Reform Buzz Is Growing. Are You Prepared? Re Blog

Readers,

This is a ReBlog. With all of the Buzz about Health Care reform and the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act, I have been reading as much information that I can get my hands on. The effects on local government are going to be huge. I believe costs the cost will be reduction in services over time, or going without certain local services to make up for the costs of implementation. There are two ways local government will be directly affected. First is increased costs for operations to carryout the services that the public expects and deserves as taxpayers. Second is the implementation of the program on the general public, which will include which agencies may handle the program that the public or business is involved in. (For instance, Job and Family Services may have a role in the implementation of the AHCA or another like agency at the local level.)

More to come on the effects locally.

Jeremy Shaffer

 

The Health Care Reform Buzz Is Growing. Are You Prepared?

03 21 13

By Elizabeth Borton
The buzz about Health Care Reform is starting to grow, and your employees are paying attention.
Time magazine’s “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us” is about to become its best-selling cover issue in two years. Time even summarized the challenges in a terrific infographic, for those who don’t have the attention span to read the 35-page article. CNN’s broadcast of the award-winning documentary, “Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare,” was followed by a 30-minute discussion moderated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on how Americans can cut through the red tape to save money and increase their access to health care.
Media coverage will continue to grow as we near the 2014 effective date for individual mandates, exchanges and so forth. On one hand, the increased coverage is a good thing. It increases awareness and spurs important conversations. On the other hand, mixed messages from various sources can, and will be, confusing.
It’s important that you prepare now. You’ll need to help your employees to navigate through the information and understand how the upcoming changes will specifically impact them. The following are a few suggestions to consider:
Dedicate a portion of your benefits website to health care reform so employees have a centralized spot to access accurate information. To build awareness, promote the site throughout the year in all the benefits communications you post or distribute.

• Create easy-to-understand definitions for common terms such as exchanges, individual mandate, affordable coverage, essential health benefits and premium subsidies.
• Post frequently asked questions and update them as new decisions are made or guidelines are issued. You’ll also need to frequently update the FAQs in response to employees’ questions as they near the enrollment process.
• Be VERY clear about your company’s coverage options for 2014 and the choices employees can make. For example, will you allow employees to qualify for a subsidy or not? If not, better tell them as soon as possible to avoid misunderstandings. Disgruntled employees can do a lot of damage to the image of your benefits program.

Unlike past years when health care reform changes were pretty minimal, 2014 will be a big year. You can’t wait until annual enrollment to communicate your company’s decisions. Start now to create your communication tools and resources, then add materials throughout the year. The important thing is to be clear, concise and straightforward. If you don’t have all the information or decisions at this point, say so. But promise you will update the site as information becomes available.
There’s no doubt that the health care buzz will be loud and confusing at times. But it will also be your opportunity to stand out as a reliable and trusted resource for your employees.