Healthcare Reform: An Uphill Battle For Consensus

Healthcare reform is shaping up to be one of the hot buttons of the 2008 US presidential election. Neither republican nor democratic candidates debate that healthcare costs are burdening the US economy — and most agree that the aging American population will add fuel to the fire. While the federal government is the nation's single largest healthcare payer, employers still collectively pick up the tab for a greater share of US health expenditure. What do benefits managers think would help solve the health insurance crisis? They're nearly as divided as partisan politicians — and just as opinionated. Nevertheless, Forrester believes that lack of consensus among employers on how to navigate our way out of the US healthcare morass will lead to a continuation of business as usual, with no radical healthcare reform in sight.