Help from the Lege? Texas employers band together to combat high health costs

Since 1999, workers’ contributions for family health premiums have increased 300%, nearly triple the gain in pay.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join together.

That’s the approach adopted by large business groups on health from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Last week, they launched a coalition committed to slowing the rise in health care costs, and they plan to start by lobbying lawmakers during the next Legislature. They want to ban certain language in contracts between health insurance plans and hospitals that they say intentionally blocks market competition.

“Think of things like gag clauses, most-favored nation, all or nothing, and anti-
steering, anti-tiering rules,” said Chris Skisak, executive director of the new Texas Employers for Affordable Healthcare. “All of these clauses are in contracts because the large health systems can demand they are there….

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