Engineers' Rx for Taming Rising Costs: 'Consumerism' and Activism

摘要

Coping with expensive, complex health care programs is probably toughest for engineering firms, some experts say. "Design firms are filled with very analytical people who need to understand every decision," says Abe Gutfreund, senior vice president of Singer Nelson Charlmers, a Teaneck, N.J., insurance broker, whose client base is three-quarters small and medium-size engineering firms. "Health care is very frustrating for them because they can't fix it." Recent studies reflect how the cost crisis is becoming a key boardroom issue for design firm managers. EFCG Inc., a New York City-based financial consultant to mostly engineering firms, says that 80 CFOs it surveyed last spring report the average cost of , individual employee health care insurance coverage at $4,200, up from $3,500 in 2003. Employee family coverage now is $10,800, up from $9,300 (see chart, p. 24).