HOUSTON, Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new non-profit organization tasked with lowering the cost of healthcare for employers and families was launched today with the backing of five Texas organizations representing among the state’s largest employers. Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare (TXEAHC) will tackle runaway healthcare costs driven primarily by the consolidation of large health systems by working to pass legislation in 2023 to prohibit anti-competitive language in contracts between health plans and hospitals that intentionally block market competition.
“The cost of healthcare has grown increasingly unaffordable for Texas families and businesses, holding down wages, stalling business growth and is the primary cause of personal bankruptcies,” said Chris Skisak, PhD, executive director for TXEAHC. “Market consolidation of large health systems is one of the most significant drivers of unsustainable costs and we call on policymakers to help us prohibit anti-competitive contracts and billing, to restore healthy competition.”
Large employers, which provide health insurance benefits to half of all Texas residents, pay more than three times what Medicare pays for the same hospital services. Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare has kicked off an education and awareness campaign with a website to ensure Texans understand just how significant the problem is and its members are meeting with legislators across the state.
Founding stakeholders are non-profit organizations that represent employers and a nonpartisan public policy think tank working to engage policymakers to restore healthy competition:
- Dallas-Fort Worth Business Group on Health
- Houston Business Coalition on Health
- San Antonio Business Group on Health
- Texas 2036
- Texas Business Group on Health
“In spite of our best efforts, healthcare costs continue to increase for employers, employees and family members,” said Andrea Cockrell, administrative services manager for the City of Plano and board chair of the Texas Business Group on Health. “This presents even greater challenges for a municipality like the City of Plano as we don’t have additional revenue to pay for this, requiring us to make tough budgeting choices. To lower healthcare costs it’s important that employers work more closely together to use their market buying power and ask their legislators to enact policy changes that will have a measurable impact on unsustainable costs.”
About Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare
Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare is a 501(c)(4) established to mobilize employers, employees and their families, and other healthcare stakeholders across the state to rein in the excessive prices paid for employer-sponsored healthcare for almost half of all Texans and approximately 14 million people. To foster transparency, prohibit anti-competitive contracts and billing, and increase oversight on consolidations and mergers, the non-profit is working to pass legislation in 2023 to restore healthy competition and thwart rising prices. Learn more: txeahc.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
