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The CEO’s Guide to Restoring the American Dream

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The CEO’s Guide to Restoring the American Dream

How to Deliver World Class Health Care to Your Employees at Half the Cost

Health Rosetta Media,

15 min read
9 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Heed this important, urgent message to US employers about managing your health care costs.

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Overview
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  • Insider's Take

Recommendation

This collection of essays about the US health care system, its out-of-control costs, and how companies and insurance buyers can better manage them delivers an important and urgent message. Dave Chase heads the Health Rosetta, a nonprofit and public benefit corporation that shares practical and nonpartisan fixes to health care. As its CEO, he demonstrates expertise and passion in this insider’s guide to managing your company’s health care benefits. 

Summary

The system of employer-provided health insurance resides at the heart of US health care problems today.

World War II brought tight wage restrictions to employers. To compete for workers, they increased benefits and many began offering health insurance. This uniquely US model blinds workers to the real costs of health care and creates a perverse incentive that discourages preventative and chronic care while rewarding far more expensive acute and reactive care.

Almost one-third of Medicare spending occurs in a patient’s last six months of life and covers mostly unnecessary and/or harmful treatments that line the pockets of the health care industry. Another third of the $3 trillion spent on US health care amounts to fraud and waste – enough to make college free for every high school graduate or to insure every uninsured American six times over.

Though health coverage for employees constitutes enormous expense, most firms don’t scrutinize their spending.

Health care is often a company’s second-largest expense after payroll. As much as 10% goes to fraud and up to 30% to other waste. Few CEOs would tolerate that in any other line...

About the Author

Dave Chase also wrote The Opioid Crisis Wake-Up Call. He co-founded and helps lead the Health Rosetta, a nonprofit firm and public benefit corporation focused on transforming the US health care system.

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