April 2007 • www.skinandallergynews.com Practice Trends 61 As Costs Rise, Employer Insurance Coverage Falls BY JOEL B. FINKELSTEIN proportion of companies that provide Of the small companies that can still of- that can bring prices in line, when in fact, Contributing Writer health benefits dropped from 70% in 2000 fer health coverage, few can give their they don’t find much or they find choices to 60% in 2005. Small businesses, those workers a choice of health plans, and they that are even worse,” he said. WASHINGTON — Companies both with only a handful of employees, have are often not happy with the plans they When they come up empty, most com- large and small are finding it increasingly been especially hard hit by rising premi- can offer. In any given year, 60% of small panies have few options other than shift- difficult to afford the health insurance ums, said Todd McCracken, president of companies are shopping around for an- ing more of the cost of premiums to their coverage they have traditionally provided the National Small Business Association. other health plan, but only 24% make a workers or reducing benefits, a trend that to their workers, experts warned at a con- “We have reached a point in the past switch, according to data from the Kaiser will continue over the next 5 years, ac- ference sponsored by AcademyHealth. couple of years where for the first time Family Foundation. cording to projections by the Bureau of Employer-based insurance remains the in memory, most of these companies “Small businesses are constantly in the Labor Statistics. dominant source of coverage in the Amer- now do not provide health benefits to marketplace looking for a better deal, sure “The share that employees will be ican health care system. However, the their employees,” he said. that there’s something out there for them asked to bear simply outstrips any realis- tic ability they may have to pay,” Mr. Mc- Cracken said. 006 The development of young dermatologic researchers and educators is the gateway to enhanced patient care. The Board of Trustees Large companies also face rising health of the Dermatology Foundation proudly acknowledges members of the Leaders Society and Annenberg Circle who contributed insurance premiums and are passing $2.8 million in 2006 to shape the future of medical and surgical dermatology. Make your investment to secure dermatology’s them on to their employees, said Mary Kay Henry, who leads the health systems ty future today. Call 847/328-2256 to join your colleagues in leadership giving. division of the Service Employees Inter- D. Richard A. Johnson, M.D. Patrick J. Lillis, M.D. Eliot N. Mostow, M.D., M.P.H. Ronald P. Rapini, M.D. Norma H. Schmitz, M.D. John S. Strauss, M.D. Robert R. Walther, M.D. national Union. M.D. Timothy M. Johnson, M.D. Henry W. Lim, M.D. Ronald L. Moy, M.D. Desiree Ratner, M.D. Bryan C. Schultz, M.D. X Hiram M. Sturm, M.D. Bill V. Way, D.O. The union represents 700,000 workers M.D. William D. Ju, M.D. Marketa Limova, M.D. Peter J. Muelleman, M.D. Marilyn C. Ray, M.D. Joseph J. Shaffer, M.D. Richard L. Sturm, M.D. Wallace N. Weber, M.D. John B. Kalis, M.D. Peter C. Lombardo, M.D. M. Gayle Mullanax, M.D. Barbara R. Reed, M.D. Alan R. Shalita, M.D. X Arthur J. Sumrall, M.D. Stephen B. Webster, M.D. worldwide. About half of them have no Ralph M. Kamell, M.D. Mary P. Lupo, M.D. Howard Murad, M.D. X Colleen M. Reisz, M.D. Steven K. Shama, M.D., Neil A. Swanson, M.D. Susan H. Weinkle, M.D. Robert Katz, M.D. James D. Maberry, M.D. Diya F. Mutasim, M.D. Kathleen A. Remlinger, M.D. M.P.H. X Robert A. Swerlick, M.D. Jonathan S. Weiss, M.D. health coverage and the other half are be- Jr., M.D. Valda N. Kaye, M.D. Frederick D. Malkinson, M.D., D.M.D. Douglas N. Naversen, M.D. Lisa J. Renfro, M.D. Ava T. Shamban, M.D. Mark B. Taylor, M.D. Robert A. Weiss, M.D. M.D. Matthew R. Kelleher, M.D. Michael G. Mancuso, M.D. Lee T. Nesbitt, Jr., M.D. Jack S. Resneck, M.D. Albert Shapiro, M.D. X R. Stan Taylor, M.D. Howard G. Welgus, M.D. ing asked to David N. Kingsley, M.D. Eugene Mandrea, M.D. Marcy Neuburg, M.D. Arthur R. Rhodes, M.D., M.P.H. Robert S. Shapiro, M.D. Nia K. Terezakis, M.D. Kathleen M. Welsh, M.D. .D. Arnold W. Klein, M.D. Stephanie F. Marschall, M.D. Jackie L. Nixon-Fulton, M.D. Phoebe Rich, M.D. Christopher R. Shea, M.D. Michael D. Tharp, M.D. W. Phillip Werschler, M.D. Of the small share more of M.D. Jeffrey A. Klein, M.D. Mary C. Martini, M.D. David A. Norris, M.D. Julee K. Richards, M.D. Laurence A. Sibrack, M.D. Maurice A. Thew, M.D. Patricia S. Wexler, M.D. D. Jay C. Klemme, M.D. Barbara M. Mathes, M.D. Peter B. Odland, M.D. Barry J. Richter, M.D. Daniel M. Siegel, M.D. Diane M. Thiboutot, M.D. Thomas G. Wiggans the cost of their M.D. Albert M. Kligman, M.D., Ph.D. X Robert T. Matheson, M.D. Marianne N. O’Donoghue, M.D. Jennifer M. Ridge, M.D. Marvin D. Siegel, M.D. Julian M. Thomas, M.D. Barbara Dahl Wilson, M.D. companies that Thomas Kupper, M.D. Elizabeth I. McBurney, M.D. Seth J. Orlow, M.D., Ph.D. Mitchell A. Rinek, M.D. David N. Silvers, M.D. Stephen T. Thomson, M.D. George B. Winton, M.D. health insur- M.D. Marilyn S. Kwolek, M.D. Robert E. McCallister, M.D. Robert L. Orme, M.D., PC Wendy E. Roberts, M.D. Kristin W. Smallwood, M.D. Robert E. Tigelaar, M.D. Allan S. Wirtzer, M.D. M.D. Walter G. Larsen, M.D. Camilla S. McCalmont, M.D. Richard E. Otoski, M.D. Katie Rodan, M.D. Stephen N. Snow, M.D. Marcia G. Tonnesen, M.D. David T. Woodley, M.D. still offer ance. Over the Thomas J. Lawley, M.D. Timothy H. McCalmont, M.D. Gerald G. Overly, M.D. X Roy S. Rogers III, M.D. Mary C. Spellman, M.D. Helen M. Torok, M.D. Kim B. Yancey, M.D. .D. Ira Lawrence, M.D. Robert A. McDonald, M.D. Lafayette G. Owen, M.D. Alain H. Rook, M.D. Richard L. Spielvogel, M.D. Wayne Traub Daniel B. Yarosh, Ph.D. past few years, M.P.H. Gerald S. Lazarus, M.D. Robert J. McNamara, M.D. Amy S. Paller, M.D. Jill R. Rosenthal, M.D. David A. Spott, M.D. Ben M. Treen, M.D. X Ruth A. Yates, M.D. coverage, few D. Phil LeBoit, M.D. Jennifer M. McNiff, M.D. David M. Pariser, M.D. Carl B. Rountree, M.D. John R. Stanley, M.D. James L. Troy, M.D. James A. Yeckley, M.D. SEIU has in- D. Stanton S. Lebouitz, M.D. Thomas L. Mehl, Sr. John A. Parrish, M.D. Louis Rubin, M.D. Thomas Stasko, M.D. James E. Turner, M.D., Ph.D. Herschel S. Zackheim, M.D. can give their M.D. Mark Lebwohl, M.D. Alan Menter, M.D. X William T. Parsons, M.D. X Earl J. Rudner, M.D. Marek A. Stawiski, M.D. W. Harrison Turner III, M.D. Scott Zahner, M.D. creasingly M.D. Francis C. Lee, M.D. Andrew L. Messenger, M.D. Barry S. Paul, M.D. Richard N. Rudnicki, D.O. Cloyce L. Stetson, M.D., M.S. Stephen K. Tyring, M.D., Ph.D. Nardo Zaias, M.D. found itself in D., Ph.D. Robert G. Lee, M.D. Donald J. Miech, M.D. Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D. Leslie F. Safer, M.D. Roger H. Stewart, M.D. Jouni J. Uitto, M.D., Ph.D. X Robert H. Zax, M.D. workers a choice, David J. Leffell, M.D. Martin C. Mihm, Jr., M.D. Marta J. Petersen, M.D. Harry W. Saperstein, M.D. Mitchell C. Stickler, M.D. Sheryll L. Vanderhooft, M.D. Douglas K. Zirker, M.D. difficult negoti- M.D. Barry Leshin, M.D. D. Scott Miller, M.D. Sheldon R. Pinnell, M.D. William S. Sawchuk, M.D. Werner K. Stiefel d John J. Voorhees, M.D. John J. Zone, M.D. Stuart R. Lessin, M.D. Stanley J. Miller, M.D. Frank J. Pinto, M.D. Richard K. Scher, M.D. X Donna L. Stockton, M.D. David Wacker, M.D. and they are ations with em- .D. X Stephen B. Levitt, M.D. John C. Moad, M.D. R. Todd Plott, M.D. Jimmy D. Schmidt, M.D. X Stephen P. Stone, M.D. Donald S. Waldorf, M.D. X X Founder d Deceased M.D., Ph.D. Gary D. Lichten, M.D. Angela Yen Moore, M.D. Rhonda Rand, M.D. John J. Schmidt, M.D. Paul A. Storrs, M.D. Patrick Walsh, M.D. often not happy ployers over health benefits . Hazle S. Konerding, M.D. J. Michael Maloney, M.D. Phyllis K. Murphy, M.D. David S. Pomerantz, M.D. Lilly H. Schaffer, M.D. Adrienne E. Stewart, M.D. Gary Wagner, M.D. Mark D.