Rising Health Care Costs Essays

Rising Health Care Costs Essays Rising Health Care Costs Paper Rising Health Care Costs Paper One of the biggest problems small employers face today is the steadily rising costs of health coverage for its employees. This paper covers how health care premiums have risen in double digits for the past five consecutive years, how many small businesses are forced to drop health care coverage for their employees because of the out of control costs, and what small businesses are doing to control the costs and still offer health care coverage to their employees. The good news is that small businesses have been doing better than the overall economy. During the past few years, they have overcome rough times and developed a resiliency that is serving them well. The bad news is that the rising cost of health insurance is one issue that they may not overcome. In 2005, employees health insurance premiums climbed a bit less in than in recent years, but continually rising costs have prompted many small businesses to drop health benefits altogether. In 2005, health care premiums raised an average of 9.2 percent, falling from the 11. 2 percent increase in 2004 and ending four straight years of double-digit escalation. While the earnings of a minimum-wage worker in Minnesota is at $12,792 per year, the average cost of health coverage for family coverage is $10,880, with employees paying $2713. 00 of that. Premiums are 73 percent higher than they were five years ago . Also troubling is the drop in employers who offer health insurance driven almost entirely by small companies that have given up coverage. Today, sixty percent of employers offer health insurance to employees, down from sixty nine percent in 2000. Most of the employers are small businesses that are forced to drop coverage because it is unreasonably affordable. Growth in health insurance costs outpaced inflation and wage growth. Between 2003 and 2004, premiums increased an average an average of 11. 2 percent, significantly faster than other economic indicators: inflation rose 2. 3 percent and wages rose 2. 2 percent. There are many reasons small businesses are finding it difficult to provide coverage to their employees, with cost the most significant one. The small businesses characteristics, including whether a small firm is a component of a larger business, the composition of its workforce, and the industry of which it is a part, are the most important factors in determining an employers ability to acquire affordable health coverage for its employees. Despite the high cost of premiums and the cost of  administering the benefit, small employers state many important business reasons for offering health insurance coverage to its employees. Most say they provide health benefits because it helps with employee recruitment, increases employee loyalty, and decreases turnover. They also note that these benefits positively affect employee attitude, performance, and health. The most important reason for offering health insurance coverage, small employers say, is that it is the right thing to do. The most significant reason for a small business employers decision not to offer health benefits however is the skyrocketing costs. So what can a small business employer do to maintain its health care coverage for its employees? Possibilities are reducing benefits, shifting more of the cost of the premiums to its employees, requiring employees to pay high co-payments when they visit a doctor, switching from a PPO to a HMO, and covering only employees rather than including family members. Higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses may be another option to ease the burden on the employer. To offset the cost increases of prescription drug coverage, employees can also ask employees to pay larger co-payments at the pharmacy. Another option may be to implement a health savings account, where the employer contributes a preset amount to an employees health resources (personal account.) The money put into the plan can be used against out-of-pocket medical expenses, and employees can roll over the money in an account from year to year when their costs are less than the amount set aside. Finally, flexible spending accounts allow employees to pay for part of their co-payments and other non-reimbursed medical expenses with pretax dollars. After all is said and done, there remains a very strong incentive for small businesses to provide affordable employee health care insurance. Their ability to hire and retain talented employees, as well as the mental and physical well being of current employees. Roughly 9% of small businesses have stopped providing benefits altogether as a way to manage health care costs. Until a cap is put on the steadily rising health care costs, employees will have to share more of the burden of their health insurance costs. This is not an attractive solution, but one that for now, can act as a temporary fix and allow Americas small businesses to continue to fuel our economy.

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING SERVICE

RESEARCH PAPER WRITING SERVICE Perfect Essay.com is considered to be one of the best writing services on the Internet. And if you ask why, well, there is a number of specific reasons to that.   First is our writing team consists of custom term papers English writers who do their writing job the best way possible. Another important feature of our online research paper writing services are superb 24/7 Customer Service Support. Term paper writing is our primary writing service specialty. While not many writing services are able to deliver the top quality writing, you should ask your friends or consult with latest comments what writing service can be helpful and applicable specifically to your needs. The initial target while organizing a research paper is the ability to present your project precisely for many people to read. Another significant research paper aspect is to select exciting and useful topic. Student must be interested in finding various methods that will show specific results and useful data interpretations to the reader. The summary must help both student and reader to determine if the basic study is relevant and up-to-date. RESEARCH PAPER WRITING SERVICE Perfect Essay.com is one of the best writing services on the Internet. We have custom term papers English writers to do the best writing job for you today. A research paper writing service is our primary writing service specialty. The initial objective while organizing a research paper is the ability to present your work selectively for other people to read. Another important research paper aspect is selecting interesting topic. Student must be interesting in findings methods that will present specific result and useful data interpretations. The summary is able to help you to determine if the initial study was relevant and up-to-date.   While many journals do require certain sections, all of the information must be submitted in a form of order listing. Every section must start with a new page. In some cases, journals are allowed to present discussions together with research results. An example is the body of research paper may include both methods and materials of selected subject. Another example is the journal Science puts altogether separate sections combined. The only exception is made for the abstract. RESEARCH PAPER WRITING SERVICE A quality research paper writing service is able to provide a whole range of academic assignments upon your request. Whether you have to write a term paper from the scratch or to improve on existing term or research paper, online research paper writing service is able to provide you all the assistance you may need today. What are the benefits of ordering to complete your college or university assignment online? Start with receiving a 100% satisfaction guarantee and receive a quality research paper today. We are able to save you time and efforts.   Our academic writing company service is able to perform a whole research for you. Simply delegate your task to us and we will be able to perform a thorough research and paper writing for you. Another benefit of using our research paper writing service is to save hours and hours of writing process. Place your first order today and get your 15% discount. Research paper, term papers, homework assistance, essay or case study, trust your assignment to us and we will deliver a completed paper within the deadline.