This Week's Herman Trend Alert Cyberbullying---a Growing Problem

The Herman Trend Alert June 28, 2006 Healthcare Costs Continue to Rise According to Mercer's recently released 2005 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, United States employers are expected to spend an average of $7,564 per employee in 2006 for health benefits. This number represents an increase of 6.7 percent over the amount of $7,089 paid in 2005. The increase between 2004 and 2005 amounted to 6.1 percent. When we look at the 7.5 percent increase between 2003 and 2004 and the 14.7 percent increase between 2002 and 2003, the 6.7 percent does not seem like a lot. However, when compared to the previous year, we notice that the rate of increase grew by more than 10 percent. The "Health Benefit Cost per Employee" includes all medical, dental, drugs and other health benefits for all employees and dependents. It also includes contributions from employers as well as employees. It does not include out-of-pocket deductibles, co-pays or coinsurance. The Mercer study concludes that the rise in healthcare costs has been slowed by four factors: Care Management, i.e. disease management programs and complex and case management; reduction in health plan alternatives, i.e. dropping health maintenance organizations, and looking at other less expensive alternatives, etc.; drug management, i.e., encouraging the use of generic pharmaceuticals and instituting a three- and four-tier system where the co-payment is variable, depending on the age and cost of the medications; and finally, the Consumerism Movement, including Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs). CDHPs may include higher deductibles, flexible spending accounts, and the new Medical Savings Accounts. While the purpose is purported to reduce costs for the consumer, these plans are usually designed to reduce costs for the employer as well. Also, the trend in healthcare is towards higher co-payments to discourage excessive visits to doctors. What will the future bring in healthcare? For the United States, expect increasingly higher health costs and more attempts at interventions like care management. For countries that have universal healthcare, as your populations age, your resources will be stretched more and more. Finally, on a more hopeful note, the developed countries will provide more pharmaceuticals to the developing countries to attack the AIDS and other epidemics. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." DISCOVER WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON... in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. MOM ALWAYS TAUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO SHARE You have probably subscribed to The Herman Trend Alert for a while now and you know how valuable it is to you. Why not suggest that your friends sign up at http://www.hermantrendalert.com? Join the thousands who subscribe in 87 countries around the globe. Are there particular topics you'd like to see covered? Let us know and we will research "The Future of. . .". And let us know how else we may serve you? E-mail: joyce@hermangroup.com. YOUR EMPLOYEES NEED THEIR LEADERS MORE THAN EVER Help your leaders to excel. Thousands have used our weekly Lessons in Leadership to help their supervisors and managers remember how to hold onto top talent. The 52-week subscription is only $47, a bargain when you think about the savings to your organization in reduced turnover. Quantity discounts available by emailing Carol at carol@hermangroup.com. Order today at: http://www.hermangroup.com/store/subscription_all.html#3. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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