September 2008
Dear Readers,
Never before have so many stakeholders called for change. Although most of us hope for big change, small changes seem likely. At least changes are on the horizon, and there is no escaping the expanded role of the consumer.
If we could have our way, whoever is president—and especially Congress—will heed the advice of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in this issue’s cover story beginning on page 25.
Please, let’s use technology in our health care system just like all of you do in your businesses. Senator Obama calls for investing significantly in a system of electronic health care records, even as Congress has bipartisan legislation before it. His plan also includes special consideration for rural areas with less infrastructure and dollars. Although not offering implementation specifics, Senator McCain’s plan calls for using electronic health care records to contain chronic care costs.
NAM forewarns that the country will be mired in debate, therefore Congress must act now to move an electronic health record system forward. A quagmire is likely if Congress is led by one party and the president is of another party—a very possible outcome. But as Dennis Triplett advises in the Policy department (page 22), don’t wait for a president to realize his agenda, act now on behalf of your own company.
If you are wondering what the holdup is in Congress, look no further than Ask the Expert on page 49. Clearly with or without government leadership, companies continue to innovate. Health plans are moving ahead even without a common technological platform, as reviewed in the News section on page 12. (See Outlook 2008’s Policy department for more insight; it’s available on www.CDHCSolutionsMag.com.)
Payment card technology is becoming responsive to employer and employee needs, as described in the feature on page 37. This is also an area with legislation pending—read more about its potential impact in the HSA/FSA/HRA department on page 19. Disability benefits are broadening their offerings and addressing the needs of more types of workers (page 21). Perhaps the most reflective of a global economy is the trend towards medical travel. Learn more about this solution in this issue’s special supplement on page 27.
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Next month we’ll probe a little deeper into the presidential candidates’ health care platforms and their impact on employers in time for the election. In the meantime, log-on to www.CDHCSolutionsMag.com to join in the conversation, comment on a blog, share an article with a colleague, take a poll, find resources, and network in the communities.
You’ll notice icons on many of the articles and in the table of contents pointing you to authors who are also members of CDHC Solutions Online. You can communicate instantly with them through the site’s networking or read their profile.
Please join us in welcoming Brent Macy as associate publisher. Brent has been with FieldMedia for over 2 years, and we’re pleased to introduce him to you in his new role. Feel free to connect with him directly through www.CDHCSolutionsMag.com.
Sincerely,
Alison Amoroso
Editorial Direector
aamoroso[at]fieldmedia.com
Doug Field
Ceo/Publisher/
Editor-in-Chief
dfield[at]fieldmedia.com
P.S. The hurricanes forced the Integrated Care Summit and the Forum ‘08 to be rescheduled to November 23 – 25. Visit www.CDHCSolutionsMag.com for more information.