We do a 15 minute webinar once a month that is officially called Stop Escalating Healthcare Premiums: Pay Wholesale, Not Retail! where for 15 minutes we do an overview of how the small business owner can fight back against the ever rising cost of providing decent access to healthcare for employees. Unofficially, and less-than-half-jokingly, around here we refer to it as “Escape from Obamacare.”
But unfortunately there’s nothing funny about the challenges caused by the government’s intervention into something so precious and important as this. In a recently article in U.S. News titled “Doctors, Hospitals, say ‘No’ to Obamacare Plans,” there is this opening:
Government health officials worked diligently this year to improve consumer experience on Healthcare.gov and make sure people know what they are getting for their money when they pick health insurance. But one thing is out of the government’s control: whether doctors and hospitals will agree to accept patients who buy these plans.
It’s a little more generous than I would be frankly, but for me it falls under the category of “you can lead a horse to water ….” So the government, from a top down stance, has set up this system – let’s even say it was under the best of the intentions. But now Doctors and hospitals are saying, “not so fast.” Individuals that sign up and are even paying into this system are in fact showing up at the hospital or to their doctor’s office and are hit with a bill they didn’t think would get.
Oh here is the “good news” – there’s a “search tool” to help you find if specific doctors are in the “plan.” Yes because when you really need medical attention, your first instinct is to sit at your computer and start googling.
Meanwhile:
In an interview with reporters Oct. 30, Sylvia Burwell, secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, said her agency did not have the authority to compel providers to accept the marketplace plans. The key, she said, was to create tools to engage consumers and to improve transparency so they can make educated decisions about health plans.
While you’re waiting for the transparency, think about taking complete control over your healthcare cost just like you do with everything else from your office supplies to your payroll expenses. You value your employees, and you want to provide them a sure thing when it comes to something as important as healthcare. Know that when they have to go to their doctor or hospital, they don’t have to worry about the answer – they’ll be sure it’s a “yes.”
