Controlling Healthcare Costs

The only sure way to take the first step in reducing healthcare costs generally involve making workers responsible for a portion of those costs. If a worker pays nothing out of his own pocket, he will of course, utilize as much "free" healthcare as possible - whether it is medically NECESSARY or not. Kausfiles points this problem out with regards to GM's healthcare issues.

UAW workers at GM and retirees don't pay monthly premiums or deductibles for health care, but white-collar workers and retirees pay both. GM says union employees pay 7 percent of their health-care costs and white-collar employees 27 percent. (Chicago Tribune)

This was brought up Monday in another completely nonsensical and illogical article from a Los Angeles Times columnist. This time it was Ronald Brownstein who said when dicussing the GM conflict with regards to healthcare costs said healthcare premiums for the average family have increased 59% since 2000. While of course failing to mention that healthcare premiums for UAW workers have increased zero, because they don't pay any premiums unlike most of this countries workers.