Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 16

By alan Joch S 16 ENGINEERING INC. Firms find creative ways to stem rising teady increases in health care costs concern all employers, but small- and mediumsized engineering firms are truly feeling the pain. Offering a comprehensive and affordable health plan is table stakes for firms scrambling to attract the best and brightest from a shrinking talent pool. “You can’t recruit employees without it. In our industry, it’s an expectation,” says Karen Wood, chief financial officer at HMB Professional Engineers, Inc., a 70-person firm in Frankfort, Ky. plans. A growing number of companies are adding newer high-deductible plans complemented by health savings accounts (HSAs). Still others believe self-insurance models offer the most leverage when negotiating premium costs with insurance providers. Regardless of which option engineering firms choose, all are spending a significant amount of time trying to boost their employees’ health care IQ. “Employees need to know that health care costs are not somebody else’s problem,” Wood says. “The decisions they make with their own health have more of an impact on their insurance costs than anything else.” RX TO EASE EMPLOYER HEALTH CARE P pHoTos.com/JUpITer ImaGes Add to that the budgetary tradeoffs ballooning health care costs impose on the broader economy. “There’s high priority in our industry to lobby for infrastructure funding from the government, but if we can’t get this health care cost issue under control, infrastructure funding will just be pushed completely into the background,” says Michael McMeekin, president of Lamp, Rynearson & Associates in Omaha, Neb. Some firms opt to give their employees a choice of traditional insurance carriers, such as health maintenance organizations (HMO) and preferred provider organizations (PPO), each with preferred networks of providers, or regional health insurance JaNuaRy / FEbRuaRy 2009

Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009

Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009
Table of Contents
From ACEC to You
News and Notes
Market Watch
Legislative Action
Exclusive Interview
RX to Ease Employer Health Care Pain
2009 Spring Course Catalog
That's Entertainment
2008 Professional Liability Insurance Survey of Carriers
Annual Convention Preview
Members in the News
Business Insights
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Cover1
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Cover2
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Table of Contents
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - From ACEC to You
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 3
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - News and Notes
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 5
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Market Watch
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 7
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Legislative Action
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 9
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Exclusive Interview
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 11
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 12
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 13
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 14
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 15
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - RX to Ease Employer Health Care Pain
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 17
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 18
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 2009 Spring Course Catalog
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I2
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I3
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I4
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I5
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I6
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I7
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I8
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I9
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I10
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I11
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I12
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I13
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I14
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I15
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - I16
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 19
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - That's Entertainment
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 21
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 22
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 23
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 24
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 2008 Professional Liability Insurance Survey of Carriers
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 26
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 27
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 28
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 29
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Annual Convention Preview
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 31
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Members in the News
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 33
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 34
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 35
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Business Insights
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Cover3
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc_spring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc_winter2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0919
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0719
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0519
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0319
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0918
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0718
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0518
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0318
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0517
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0317
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0916
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0714
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringincSeptOct
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0109_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc1106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acec/engineeringinc0706
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com