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Home / Washington Business - March 2006 / Legislators Need a Course in Business 101 |
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Legislators Need a Course in Business 101 |
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Written On: March 2006 |
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Written By: by Alexis Nepomuceno |
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Health care continues to be a growing financial burden for businesses nationwide. In Washington, the issue has exacerbated a troubling situation for job providers who already face the highest minimum wages, highest unemployment insurance and among the highest workers’ compensation costs in the country. The prospects for employers are not eased when they find out the majority of lawmakers making health care decisions have never run a business or even worked in private industry.
In this issue of Washington Business, we examine health care from a number of fronts—all affecting the cost of health insurance for both employer and employee.
AWB Board Chair Creigh H. Agnew writes about what her company, Weyerhaeuser, has done to limit cost increases in recent years. She describes the company’s benefits strategy, which focuses on employees staying healthy, protecting them against catastrophic health care costs and more efficient management of health care costs.
Washington Research Council President Dick Davis describes the ongoing battle between labor and Wal-Mart. He analyzes developments regarding "pay or play" from other states, and sizes up the situation in Washington.
AWB also talks with with Steve Hill, administrator for the Washington State Health Care Authority. He describes the agency and its role, as well as his take on the health care issue and how it affects the state’s private employers.
In his story on ergonomics, Daniel Brunell explains how focusing on wellness in the workplace can help with a company’s bottom line. He provides a list of ideas companies can use to help improve the health of their employees.
Other aspects of the health care issue are covered in this issue, as well. Ron Dalby examines the up-and-coming practice of evidence-based medicine, and Paul Schlienz takes a look at the return of the individual insurance market.
Legislators are often perplexed when they hear of the doom-and-gloom scenarios bantered about by small, medium and large businesses alike. Job providers are perplexed when they bring their cases before politicians who gaze back at them with looks of befuddlement. That is, until they realize that their elected leaders have spent most of their lives signing the backs—not the fronts—of paychecks. Lawmakers need to wake up to the reality that businesses drive the economy that provides the jobs that support their constituents.
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