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Step on the gas and change the culture

Ask most people why they have brakes on their cars and they’ll say, “So you can slow down.” But the real reason is so you can go faster and still be in control.

The C-suite understands this better than anyone. They know that in today’s economy taking measured risk is essential for profitable growth. Yet, many of them have assigned the responsibility of health care business strategy to managers who keep their feet on the brakes, repeating every year why change is risky. That’s why today, in a post-Affordable Care Act world, the strongest C-suites are advocating change for better health care strategy, not just safe ones.

One way to do this is to get the C-suite more involved in setting the business strategy direction for corporate health care. They need to evaluate the risks associated with the many health care opportunities they are facing. One of the first steps is distinguishing between health care risks that can be managed and risks that should be avoided.

Avoiding unnecessary costs — like health care claims — is where value is created.

Lack will be speaking at the Workplace Benefits Mania conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 30 at 3:30 p.m. He’ll address Voluntary Non-Insurance Products Profit Machines. To find out more about WBM, hosted by EBA’s parent company SourceMedia, click here.


Lack is CEO of Premium Reduction Strategies and ENERGI. He can be reached at craig@energiusa.com.

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