I had the opportunity to speak with Lisa Rosendahl. Lisa is a Human Resources Director for a medical center. We discussed the issue of Healthcare, and how it is changing within Human Resources. A few observations Lisa made were:
Healthcare is about wellness and productivity, innovation and cost. It is about an individual’s ability to maintain their own health, and provide the very best care they are able to for their family. If we are not able to provide health care to enable individuals to provide for their families, we fail at the very thing that really matters.
Making an informed decision with all information available is the best one can do in a unpredictible situation. I have been at the receiving end of a phone call when a fall from a ladder on a sunny afternoon, an snowmobile accident on a well-groomed trail, or negative results from routine lab tests mess with the best laid plans and throw life into turmoil. It’s complicated.
The Healthcare debate is raging, and emotions rise and fall.
Here are a few of my personal observations on the topic. I am keeping my eyes and ears peeled to this topic. Affordable quality healthcare must be available to every individual in the United States. It is not a “one size fits all” issue. It is a most critical issue for Human Resources and corporations large and small. How has healthcare affected your company and personally? Let’s get the comments rolling…….
Deeply Rutted....... 
Lisa, You make a number of great points. Healthcare is all about healing the mind body and spirit. As such our role on Human Resources is to encourage all who work in the medical system to be the best they can for the work they do.
There is little doubt that emotions are high, rationale is often the last thing patients or their families look for, indeed often the fear is what can afford and will I lose my job if I don’t get back to work in time. That is why culturally competent patient care is essential, and the need to be an advocate for Healthcare for all and a community leader and partner with our physicians
Great job Shennee, thanks for bringing this topic to our attention. Thanks Lisa
Peter-Thanks so much for the nice comment:-) It was a pleasure to collaborate with Lisa Rosendhal. She is a talented lady!
I’d be interested in Lisa’s opinion about how the current healthcare crisis is going to impact employees, and potential employees?
Thanks Margo for the comment! Let’s keep the conversation rolling..
This is a topic that hits near and dear to me, as my small business does not provide any sort of medical benefit. I have heard on several occasions from an employee who needs to see a doctor – and doesn’t because they simply can’t afford it. These people have purchased insurance on the individual market, but the deductibles on the policies make them unable to pay the $2500-$5000 before benefits kick in.
The business owner can’t afford to pay, and the employee can’t budget high deductibles and/or reasonable premiums.
Something has to give. Sick employees can’t work, and putting the company in a financial bind isn’t the answer.
Tammy- This healthcare debate has the entire country divided. We all agree that something must be done, but how, and at what cost? The Cyclical damage this is causing for companies large and small, and employees, lost productivity.. We really need to get a handle on this and FAST!
Thanks so much for reading! Appreciate the support:-)
There has been much debate about what kind of payment system we should have in the uK a great read is the “Healing of America” by T.R. Reid. The key it seems is the philosophy a nation has. It appears that the USA can live with the fact that 43,million souls do not have healthcare coverage and countless millions have healthcare deductibles that are so high they can only be regarded as for catastrophic care. 25% of healthcare costs are due to administration of the current payer system. That says much! and with the aging nursing workforce ( average age 47) and with patients getting heavier the challenge for HR is clear. The need for new working practices and benefits for workers on part time and flexible hours is necessary, and then some I have not even touched the need for culture training when all the stats indicate by the year 2020 over half the population will be non white!! Cultural competent patient care is a high current competence
WOW. Peter, You bring up some alarming statistics, Thanks for contributing.
Hi Margo, thanks for the question, this is such a huge issue for everyone and I am following along with the rest of the nation. Outcomes? Impacts? I am going to toss that back out the audience to see what others have to say.
Healthcare or Health Insurance is a sensitive topic for many. As Healthcare costs continue to rise in the US, Many people can not afford to pay for it and will not seek treatment. I don’t think “Socialized Medicine” is the answer for our ailing healthcare issue. Finding that happy medium balancing costs, insurance, R & D or medicine…is going to be next to impossible.
Thanks Bob for commenting! I think we all agree that Healthcare needs help, but at what cost, and it will not be one size fits all. So many are without affordable care. Let’s keep the conversation going!
There is as you say Bob no easy answer but here is the deal why should people not get healthcare because they cannot afford it. The socialized care model that every body detests has the philosophy of cradle to grave.
Wait times as people always go on about is little different to the USA there is a shortage of professionals thats why HR must not ever take a back seat.
Its economics we need to pay somehow for the expense .
Actions
1.Get rid of the payer system we have they make billions.
2. Introduce an insurance tax to pay for healthcare from those who work
3. Standardize fees for procedures
4. Give payment plans to all
5. Develop more free clinics
6. Reduce the costs /give subsidize to those who want to take a medical profession up
7. Pay the same for medicaid,medicare and insured people
Thanks Bob, you got me going!!!
cheers
My opinion (not necessarily my employer’s) is that the system is moving toward pricing itself out of existence and we do need something to quickly (but not so hastily that we don’t think things through). I think we should take a hard look a the employer-based system. It is not right or fair that if you’re employed, if is all a matter of chance whether you:
a.) pay $20, $100 or $500 or $1000 premiums,
b.) have $0, $10, $30 or $50 co-pays;
c.) are responsible for $0, $200, $1000 or $5000 unfunded deductibles
It is all totally dependent on the a throw of the dice, i.e. the job you ended up in. My family’s healthcare is close to free because my husband works for the school system. But my brother is self-insured and his wife’s employer-provided health coverage includes a $5000 deductible and there is *no* option for an FSA. This is not right and it is not fair. All Americans should have access to similar plans and pricing!
And that doesn’t begin to address self-employed, under-employed, unemployed, part-time, low-income and retired folks who usually don’t fall into employer group health plans.
Don’t get me started! (Oops, too late for that…)
A)When we can shop for our health care insurance like do our car insurance and/or B)Premiums are on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay – It iwill be a good day….. In northeastern PA employers really only have 2 options and they are so competitively priced there is really no difference, it’s just a matter of which devil your employer wants to dance with.
Amen, Karla. It is frustrating to me that I can’t truly shop for insurance and I can’t even put brokers to the test so that they can show me their stuff without a broker-of-record letter. Which means no competition there.