Doing Business in an Obamacare World

by Gary Toebben

Recent events have made it clear that, whether you supported or opposed it, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land and is being implemented today. Business people everywhere owe it to their employees and stockholders to explore the options in the Affordable Care Act and determine if those options can have a positive impact on their employees and their company's bottom line.  

Since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed health care reform in California seven years ago, the Chamber has supported efforts to stem the seemingly endless march of annual increases in the cost of health care.

One of the best ways to save money under the Affordable Care Act is through an employee wellness program, which can be implemented with very little investment and scaled to the size of your business and number of employees. Once an effective program is in place, the benefits are endless. 

Healthy employees have lower premiums because they need less medical care, and ultimately a healthier workforce has fewer sick days and is more productive. Employers who make the extra effort for their employees' wellbeing also see a boost in morale. Each of these benefits has a positive impact on the bottom line of a company.  

To learn more about saving money though wellness in an Obamacare world, register for the Chamber’s employer wellness conference, “Health Happens Here,” on Friday, Nov. 8. Your company will benefit from the collective expertise of our speakers, who will provide real-world examples of how businesses of all sizes can save money by investing in their employees with wellness programs that are simple, scalable and cost effective. Register today!

If your position doesn’t handle employee benefits, be sure to share this information with the appropriate human resources or financial officer. This is an opportunity to improve the health of your employees and the health of your company’s bottom line.

And that's The Business Perspective.