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The Business of
Health Care Report Large and small business owners will want to keep a keen eye on the 77th Texas legislative session for health issues affecting their bottom line. It's no secret that heath insurance premiums have escalated in our areas in recent years - escalated in the average range of ten to 20 percent, and sometimes more. This is due, in part, to the rising cost of new technology, rising prescription drug prices and dramatically increasing labor costs and shortages. Utilization of health care services also continues to rise, as health care is one of the only areas not responding to supply and demand. Yet, several issues being debated in Austin - especially those dealing with the growing number of uninsured Texans, like medical privacy, HMO reform and charity care - could have even more far reaching effects on small and large businesses. For better or worse, legislators will tackle a range of health care issues this year. They always do. While usually well-intentioned, sometimes their efforts improve the business of health care, and sometimes they don't. But health care - which accounts for one of the biggest expenditures of state funds - is an issue that is always at or near the top of the legislature's work list. I'll be covering some of these issues in our weekly news reports here on TexasHealth.org and on News Radio 1080 KRLD. Doug Hawthorne - DougHawthorne@TexasHealth.org ©
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