Where's your financial thermostat for your health plan set?

So we were hit with a bout of cold weather here this week in Colorado, where Monday's high was 39 degrees. So we had to use the heater for the first time in months. Now think about the role the thermostat plays in your household. If you set it at 72 degrees and the temperature outside is that is 39, what's going to happen? Yeah, heat's going to kick in. And to make sure the room temperature stays at 72 degrees. And likewise, when summer temperatures approach triple digits, you've got that thermometer set at 72. So cold air kicks in to drop the room temperature down to 72 degrees. So I ask you this question. Where is your financial thermometer set for your health plan if it's set at receiving an 8% increase? That's what you're always going to get. So when you get a 16% increase, you're going to feel damn good when it's negotiated down to 8%. But likewise, when you get a chance to reduce your cost by 5 to 10%, you're going to end up accepting an 8% increase because that's where your thermostat is set. But here's the problem. Over the course of five years, you're going to watch your costs go up almost 50%, and that's going to make your employees pretty damn hot and your bottom line pretty cold. So the next time you're faced with your health care budget renewal, turn the thermostat down a little bit so you give yourself a chance to do the right thing for your employees and your bottom line. Until next time, bear down, focus on the target, and strike out the stat.