Structure and Form...

According to the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), business executives are looking for ways to better manage their employees' health-related productivity. Managing absenteeism and "presenteeism" are also high priority items. One way to accomplish these goals is by reconfiguring benefits packages. Not surprisingly, managing (reducing) healthplan costs is the number 1 priority, but a close second is managing "all health related costs."

At least the IBI (and the executives it surveyed) understands the difference between health insurance and health care.

One way these folks intend to rein in costs is by promoting more personal responsibility among employees, including sharing more realistically in health insurance, and health care, costs. We're also seeing much more emphasis on preventive care and healthy lifestyle choices. Again, this shows that employers understand that health insurance costs can be positively impacted by health care costs.