On Health Insurance Prices, CEO Responsibilities, Miscellaneous

The Dramatic Health Insurance Price Increases on Small Businesses

         It used to be that increasing deductibles so people had more skin-in-the-game and would become wiser users of sick care was workable.  As organizations, we could impact the pricing of insurance with our insurer through this.  We could actually impact the slowing of rate increases or even a decrease.  No longer. Yes, we still are invented to have high deductibles in order to lower premiums … but Obamacare requires the spreading of pricing across everyone, so-called Community Pricing.  Thus, it’s effectively impossible to influence price for our organization due to our own actual usage trends.  Result:  We’re less invented to try harder, to improve our lifestyle choices.  Yet, that’s what we must do.

Most Important Things A CEO Does ...

        My TEC III member, Therese Pandl, CEO of four hospitals, was asked as part of a Beckers Hospital Review article, what she thinks is the most important thing a CEO does.  Her response:  “In my opinion, the most important things a CEO does are lead the culture and values of the organization to assure that the mission, vision and strategies are achieved; determine which businesses and markets the organization will be in for the foreseeable future; and develop leadership capacity for that future."

Miscellaneous

•  Dubai, as part of a government reorganization by Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (You remember him?) has created a new post, Minister of State for Happiness.

•  Demagogue, from Greek:  Political leader in a democracy who appeals to the emotions, fears, prejudices and ignorance of the lower socioeconomic classes …  Oppose deliberation … Accuse moderate and thoughtful opponents of weakness.

•  Interesting idea from Someplace:  What if there were day care centers as part of assisted living/nursing homes?  Injecting toddlers into their lives!

• From Facebook:  “Lord, give me Coffee to change the things I can change … and Wine to accept the things I can’t!”