Full Description

The cost of health care in America is on the rise. And for many businesses this has become a major concern. It’s a cost issue that pervades many other areas of the business, from recruitment and retention, to profitability and productivity. For firm leaders watching their budgets, it's worth an investment of time and energy to keep these costs under control.

In the A/E industry, where the majority of firms are small businesses struggling to find adequate health insurance coverage for their fewer-than 20 employees, firm leaders face the delicate balancing act of providing competitive benefits while controlling costs. Cut benefits, and you may find it difficult to hire and keep talented employees. Pay too much for coverage, and you may find your bottom line eroding.

Controlling Rising Health Care Costs in A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms, 2nd Edition, a ZweigWhite Management Briefing, will provide you with actionable strategies and innovative ideas for coping with the staggering growth in health care costs. This research and best practices report will provide you with the latest data on health care in America, spending by design and environmental firms on this necessary benefit, real-life case studies of how A/E firms— both large and small— are tackling the problem, and creative strategies firms are using to control health care costs. Use this report to save money the next time your health insurance premium is up for renewal.

Controlling Rising Health Care Costs in A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms, 2nd Edition provides readers with information on:

• Current trends in health care costs
• Common types of health care plans
• Drivers of rising health care costs
• Strategies for controlling costs
• How to communicate plan changes to employees
• How health care premium costs affect small businesses and the overall economy
• What other firms in the industry are doing to deal with the issue
• What’s ahead for employer-sponsored health care in America

The soaring cost of health insurance is one of the most pressing issues facing architecture, engineering, and environmental firms today. Let Zweig White’s Management Briefing, Controlling Rising Health Care Costs in A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms, 2nd Edition help you find the right balance between care and cost.

Contents

Full Contents:

Chapter 1: The Rising Cost of Health Care

• Health Care’s Impact on Small Businesses
• The Rise of Employer-Sponsored Health Care
• Trends and Analysis
• The Changing Role of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits
• Looking Ahead

• Health Management Organizations (HMOs)
• Preferred Provider Organization Plans (PPOs)
• Point of Service Plans (POSs)
• Fee for Service Plans (FFSs)
• Consumer Driven Health Care Plans (CDHPs)
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• Exclusive Provider Organization Plans (EPOs)
• Mini-Med Plans
• Self-Insurance
• Industry Preferences

• Increased Spending on Prescription Drugs
• Increasing Cost of Hospital and Doctor Services
• Increasing Consumer Demand
• Technology
• The Shift Towards PPOs
• Other Factors
• The Silver Lining

• Traditional Methods
• Progressive Strategies
• Mandates and Regulations
• Employee Education

Chapter 5: Communicating Health Plan Changes to Employees

Chapter 6: A/E Health Benefits Case Studies

• The Affinis Corporation
• CRW Engineering Group
• ENGEO
• FRCH Design Worldwide
• JMZ Architects and Planners
• Sasaki