You probably can’t help but notice lately all the reports about the Supreme Court hearings on the Affordable Care Act (healthcare reform). This is a heated topic in the U.S. because the American health care system is almost unique in the extent to which it funnels health spending through employers. While most of the big developed nations use some type of universal single-payer system that socializes health costs across the entire economy, about 60% of U.S. health care spending goes through employers via employer-sponsored medical insurance. So while U.S. employers are heavily impacted by health care expenses, many of those companies’ competitors in the global economy don’t bear those costs.

While I am not commenting either for or against the Affordable Care Act, I wanted to share with you an interesting report about how employers out there feel about it.

The survey, from GfK Custom Research of North America, found that 56% of the 502 privately held companies questioned said they were likely to continue offering their employees health insurance even if the insurance mandate portion of healthcare reform is enacted as planned in 2014. Just 12% said they would be “very” or “somewhat likely” to drop coverage, while about a third said they didn’t know what they’d do.

This is important, because by providing your employees with health insurance, you are privy to much more data about their health (on a macro level, of course, not on an individual level). This provides important information that can guide your investment in employee wellness. After all, if 35% of your employees have diabetes and/or are overweight, you know where you’re going to focus your spending, right?

Also, when you provide the insurance, you also have more control over the quality of that insurance and the care provided. That’s because you can require that health plans and their providers meet certain evidence-based parameters shown to improve health-related outcomes. This, in turn, could keep your costs down by preventing acute exacerbations of chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, and heart disease that could otherwise be managed.

All is not completely rosy with the employer/healthcare reform dynamic, however. The GfK survey also found that many employers fear that the new law won’t slow cost increases, or might make costs worse. How it will impact U.S. employers will depend partly on the Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision in June. I believe the results could be dramatic for America’s health care system.

Employers’ ability to control costs will depend on two giant decisions. First is the Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of the individual mandate. If the justices give it a thumbs-down, employers are in a quandary. They like a mandate because it could lower their insurance costs by forcing more people into the risk pool. And in a world where everyone is legally required to maintain insurance, employers may feel less pressure to offer it, and their costs would likely decrease as they encourage more individuals to purchase their own health insurance through the new insurance exchanges. If the mandate is voted down, employers may choose to continue doing what they’ve already been doing—increasing copayments, deductibles, and premiums.

If the mandate is upheld, then everything depends on the second big decision: the voters’ choice in November. A Republican sweep would probably mean Obamacare’s repeal, while a more muddled election result probably wouldn’t.

One part of the law that can help large employers is the medical loss ratio component. This part of the law, which just went into effect, requires that at least 85% of every premium dollar be spent on actual medical or preventive costs, not marketing or administrative costs. Hopefully that will provide some savings. The good news is that if health plans don’t meet the ratios, they are supposed to refund some of the overrun to you, the customer.

So have you figured out your position on healthcare reform yet? Assuming the full force of the Affordable Care Act is implemented, how do you see it affecting your business?

Bob Fabbio
President & CEO
WhiteGlove Health, Inc.

CNN Health (October 3, 2011) reported recently that a new study finds that “28% of parents following the CDC-recommended schedule for childhood vaccinations think it would be safer to delay the shots until children are older.”

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, confirms that “about 2% of parents living in the United States are refusing all vaccines for their children, and more than one in 10 alter the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended vaccination schedule by delaying or refusing certain vaccines.”

The study does not state the reasons that more parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, but it does make the point that one possible reason is that today’s parents have forgotten what the diseases are that their children are being vaccinated for, because these diseases have been largely eradicated by — vaccines. The article does point out some of the very serious results of refusing inoculations.

Using measles as an example, the article makes this case:

Not only do unvaccinated children run the risk of becoming ill or worse, but they also endanger others who don’t have the option to vaccinate. Globally, measles still is a leading cause of death among children, killing an estimated 450 people every day, according to the World Health Organization.

This year has seen more cases of measles than any year since 1996. As of August, there have been 198 confirmed cases in the United States, according to the CDC, with the vast majority among the unvaccinated. Usually the transmission comes from traveling abroad.

What are the CDC Vaccination Recommendations?

Children Birth-6 years
During the early years of life, it is recommended that children get vaccines to protect them from 14 diseases that can be serious, even life-threatening.
Parents can find out what vaccines their children need and when the doses should be given by reviewing the nationally recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule.

Children and Teens 7-18 years
Older children need vaccines, too. Everyone older than 6 months of age is recommended to receive a yearly flu vaccination. In addition to an annual flu shot, parents should work with their health care professional to make sure that their older children stay current. As they get older, children may become more susceptible to certain diseases, like meningitis. Also, as children age, vaccines wear off, like whooping cough, and standards change as research evolves.
It is best to keep all shot records on hand, and just check in once a year. The CDC provides an immunization schedule for people ages 7 through 18 years for parents and doctors to protect children and teens from vaccine-preventable disease.

Adults
Immunizations are NOT just for kids. Whether a young adult, middle-aged adult or senior citizen, everyone needs immunizations to keep healthy.
The specific immunizations needed as an adult are determined by factors such as age, lifestyle, high-risk conditions, type and locations of travel, and previous immunizations.
As with teenagers, some vaccines wear off and need to be repeated, like tetanus. In addition, recommendations change based on current research. Also, new vaccines come onto the market, like the HPV vaccine. So, it’s important to know which shots you need and when to get them.

Listed below are links to the immunization schedules from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) for all ages:
• Childhood Schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm
• Adolescent Schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm#printable
• Adult Schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/adult-schedule.htm

Not sure? To find out if you or your family members are due for a vaccination, take the CDC’s interactive quiz below.
Take the Interactive Vaccination Quiz

How can WhiteGlove Health help? WhiteGlove Health can help you with your vaccinations and with tracking who needs what when. We will come to your home or office to administer vaccines, 365 days a year, 8 am til 8 pm. And because you have 24 hour access to your online health record, never again will you have to wrack your brain trying to recall if and when you had that last tetanus shot.

So keep current, keep healthy and relax. WhiteGlove will come to you to help you with your vaccine needs.

Changing colors, wonderful smells, cooler weather and football —it must be October! October is always an exciting month, which culminates in Halloween, an enjoyable holiday for the entire family. With a little planning and a few precautions, Halloween can be as safe and healthy as it is fun.

Costumes

• Instead of masks, have your kids wear make-up so they can see and breathe well. But be sure to test make-up in a small area first. And remember to remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.

• Dress your kids in a bright costume so others can see them. If their costume is dark, add reflective strips to it or carry a glow stick or flashlight.

• Hem (or tape) longer costumes to prevent tripping or falls.

• Wear flame retardant costumes.

• Wear comfortable, practical shoes. Double tie your shoelaces so you don’t trip.

• Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible, and look like toys.

Carving Pumpkins

• If your children are young, let them draw faces on pumpkins with washable markers or child-friendly paint. Leave any carving to an adult. But kids can join in the carving fun…give them a big spoon and let them scoop out the seeds.

• Illuminate jack-o’-lanterns with flashlights or battery-operated flameless candles instead of real candles.

Trick or Treating

Route:

• Map out a route before your kids begin trick-or-treating, and make sure they stick to it. Trick or treat in familiar neighborhoods

Houses:

• Only visit well lit houses. Don’t stop at dark houses.

• Don’t trample through flower beds and gardens.

• Don’t enter any houses unless you know the people.

• Don’t approach unfamiliar pets and animals.

• Don’t cut across yards and stay out of backyards.

Traffic safety:

• Follow traffic signals and don’t jaywalk. Look both ways before crossing the street.

• Always watch for cars backing up or turning.

• Tell your kids to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger.

After dark:

• Carry a flashlight after dark, and if it might turn dark before you’re done.

• Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you. Or drop a light into their trick-or-treat bags so they are illuminated.

Other:

• Make sure someone in the group has a cell phone for emergencies.

• Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

• Follow a curfew and carry a watch or cell phone with a backlight.

Treats:

• Check your kids’ candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.

• Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.

At Home

Here are a few tips to make trick-or-treating at your home safer.

• Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters, such as individual packs of raisins, trail mix, or pretzels. Or, if you want to avoid any kind of food treats, try stickers, glittery pencils, small Halloween toys or colored chalk.

• Be sure walking areas and stairs around your home are well-lit and free of obstacles that could result in falls.

• Don’t use candles for décor. Instead use battery powered tea lights or candles for jack –o’-lanterns and luminaries.

• Turn the lights on. Replace any burned-out bulbs to ensure good visibility at the walkway and front door.

• Control your pets. Take no chances that your pet might be frightened and chase or bite a child at your door.

Have a safe and healthy Halloween!