Wisconsin Employers Demand Solutions
MADISON – Rising healthcare costs remain a chief concern of Wisconsin businesses, hindering reinvestment, talent attraction, and economic competitiveness. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce – the combined state chamber and manufacturers’ association – released a new video on Wednesday, raising the alarm on high healthcare costs and promoting a policy solution to empower employers and consumers.
Shockingly, Wisconsin’s hospital costs are the most expensive in the Midwest and rank fourth highest in the country. In the video, Gamber Johnson’s Vice President of Human Resources Phillip Blair argues that these high healthcare costs are a hinderance in attracting both employees and other employers into the state.
“Healthcare costs rank in the top three to five business expenses for us, and that means less opportunity to invest money back into our employees and back into business,” Blair shared. “That hurts employees with higher deductibles, higher out-of-pocket maximums, and larger co-pays.”
When asked how state government could help businesses in a recent survey, a plurality of Wisconsin employers responded with “make healthcare more affordable.” Over half of respondents noted that healthcare in Wisconsin is more expensive than in other states they operate in, and 70 percent reported these costs are hurting their bottom line.
“Healthcare transparency is the foundation for what we believe to get control of healthcare costs,” Blair said.
WMC’s Rachel Ver Velde explains that while federal rules introduced in 2021 require more transparency, only 30 percent of Wisconsin hospitals are fully compliant. State legislation, similar to laws passed in other states like Colorado, would require hospitals to post prices – equipping and empowering patients to make more cost-effective choices.
“Wisconsin lawmakers are pushing similar reforms, demanding clear online pricing and penalties for non-compliance,” Ver Velde said. “Transparency works, and it’s time to shine a light on costs, hold hospitals accountable, and put affordable care within reach for all Wisconsinites.”
“[A]ccess to that health data allows us as employers to give better tools to our employees to shop for healthcare,” Blair concluded. “That’s going to drive down the cost because of greater competition, and it’s going to be able to put money back in the pocketbooks of our employees and the organization, and we can re-invest that back into the business, back into our employees, back into our community.”
