Member-Sponsored
Events
Member
Updates
Fairfield
County
Community
Fundraising Calendar
NEWS & EVENTS
Business Council Releases Scorecard on Connecticut's Health
Stamford, Connecticut; March 15, 2006 - - The Business Council of Fairfield County has just released the Connecticut Health Care Scorecard 2006. For the first time, the health of Connecticut residents and the effectiveness of the health care system are examined within a national context.
The
Scorecard was developed by The Business Council’s Health Care Leadership
Council. The Council was convened to address the issues of health care access
and affordability. “The Health
Care Scorecard is a first step in understanding how we can contain health care
costs and improve the health of the state’s residents,” said Steve Baird,
Managing Director, UBS, Co-Chair, of the Health Care Leadership Council. “As
a result of this work, the Council has offered recommendations that place a
priority on improving the health of the state’s residents, addressing the
high cost of health insurance particularly for small businesses and improving
statewide health care data collection.”
While
Connecticut excels as a state in many health-related areas, the Scorecard
reveals many more areas where we lag behind the rest of the nation and in some
cases, rank in the bottom 50% of states. With significant sums of money being
spent on health care at the state level and through private employer coverage,
it is essential that the health care system operate both effectively and
efficiently.
“Fundamentally,
this is an economic competitiveness issue. Our concern is how health care
costs can be contained so that jobs can grow here,” said Darrell Harvey,
Co-CEO, The Ashforth Company and Board Chairman, The Business Council of
Fairfield County. “While most agree that something must be done to stem the
rising cost of health insurance, it is clear that there is no single, silver
bullet solution.”
Recognizing
that double-digit percentage increases in health insurance are undermining
access to health care and thwarting preventative care, The Business Council
has issued this Scorecard to elevate the issue of health and wellness. “This
Scorecard provides a benchmark of the health of our citizens and employees,”
said Johnna Torsone, S.V.P. & Chief Human Resources Officer, Pitney Bowes
Inc., Co-Chair, Health Care Leadership Council. “It provides an important starting point for both public
policy debate and employer best practices dialogues.”
Health
care is a national issue, but individual states have an opportunity to improve
both the cost and quality of health care within their boundaries.
“Currently, our legislators are having to address complex health care
policy issues without comprehensive and objective data to formulate solutions.
Greater access to better data is essential to improved planning and
more efficient spending,” stated Ms. Torsone.
Employers,
as principal payers for health care and significant taxpayers, also have a
stake in improving our health care system. Connecticut places 6th
nationally, with 65% of private sector firms offering health insurance.
The distribution is skewed dramatically by size.
More than 96% of employers of more than 50 people offer health
insurance in Connecticut, while 55% of employers with fewer than 50 employees
offer it.
Online
at: www.businessfairfield.com/scorecard.htm
The Business Council of Fairfield County, formerly known as SACIA, was formed in 1970 by the merger of three existing organizations, the oldest of which had been founded in 1890. Today, The Business Council of Fairfield County is a private, not-for profit corporation governed by a volunteer board of senior executives and served by a professional staff. It has more than 400 business members, with 20,000 local employees.
Over the past decade, The Business Council of Fairfield County has emerged as a nationally respected and influential regional network of business leaders, committed to strengthening the economic vitality of our region and the performance of its member firms through research-based public policy initiatives, information services and network building programs.
# # #
The
Business Council of Fairfield County
One
Landmark Square, Suite 300
Stamford, CT 06901-2679
General Phone: (203) 359-3220
Fax: (203) 967-8294
Contact Us
| |
|
| |