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CHANGES IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM UPS RATES FOR EMPLOYERS PREMIUM COSTS MAY AFFECT EMPLOYEES' WAGES FOR YEARS TO COME.


Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

With health care costs outpacing the rate of inflation, employers will continue to see their premiums rise for the next several years, according to according to
prep.
1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3.
 a report released Wednesday by Deloitte & Touche.

Heightened consumer demand, new technology, hospital consolidation and an increase in the use of pharmaceuticals, are all working against the current health system. Those factors are forcing many companies to reduce access to care, and in some cases, lower their employees' wages.

``We'll probably see double-digit increases in health care costs for a couple of more years,'' said David Lusk, a managing director of human capital advisory services advisory services

advisory services provided to the public, in their capacity as owners and managers of animals, are an important part of veterinary science. They may be provided by government bureaux, by commercial companies who deal in pharmaceuticals or animals or animal
 for Deloitte & Touche. ``There are so many buttons that need to be pushed, so many strategies that need to be implemented, that it's going to be difficult finding one specific solution to the crisis.''

Deloitte & Touche's report was compiled via UCLA's Anderson Forecast. Christopher Thornberg, senior economist of the forecast, said expenditures on computers and software are the only items that have exceeded the percentage increase in health care costs to date.

``Meanwhile, public funding Public funding is money given from tax revenue or other governmental sources to an individual, organization, or entity. See also
  • Public funding of sports venues
  • Research funding
  • Funding body
 for health care consumed con·sume  
v. con·sumed, con·sum·ing, con·sumes

v.tr.
1. To take in as food; eat or drink up. See Synonyms at eat.

2.
a.
 only 5.5 percent of the total government budget in 1960 and by 2000, that number had risen to over 22 percent of the total budget,'' Thornberg said.

The complexities involved in the current health care system have many employers looking to brokers for advice. But with insurance companies targeting the consumer, policyholders are becoming more and more responsible for their own health care.

Leonard Schaeffer, chairman and chief executive officer of WellPoint Health Networks, Inc., has been an advocate of consumer driven health plans.

``Consumers want choice - meaning a sense of control, unlimited benefits, access to new medical technologies - all at an affordable premium,'' said Schaeffer in the report. ``And today's health care consumer knows what he or she wants.''

Despite consumers becoming more in tune with their health plans, the costs incurred are rarely mitigated mit·i·gate  
v. mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing, mit·i·gates

v.tr.
To moderate (a quality or condition) in force or intensity; alleviate. See Synonyms at relieve.

v.intr.
To become milder.
. Lurk To view the interaction in a chat room or online forum without participating by typing in any comments. See de-lurk.

lurk - lurking
 said until the myriad Myriad is a classical Greek name for the number 104 = 10 000. In modern English the word refers to an unspecified large quantity.

The term myriad is a progression in the commonly used system of describing numbers using tens and hundreds.
 authorities in health care can communicate effectively, there's no foreseeable fore·see  
tr.v. fore·saw , fore·seen , fore·see·ing, fore·sees
To see or know beforehand: foresaw the rapid increase in unemployment.
 solution.

``Solutions are going to require a joint effort,'' he said. ``And managing consumer expectations is going to be critical.''
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Copyright 2002, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Title Annotation:Business
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Article Type:Statistical Data Included
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Dec 12, 2002
Words:355
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