It's no secret health care in the United States is undergoing afundamental change. Rising costs, rampant litigation,ground-breaking health care reform legislation and the globalrecession are all wreaking havoc with the established norm.

Total health care costs for active employees are expected to top$11,000 in 2011, up from $10,387 in 2010. While employers arefacing difficult choices, the health care cost burden is alsofalling heavily on the employee, who pays 45 percent more todaythan five years ago. Clearly, both employers and employees aremotivated to find ways to reduce the overall cost withoutendangering health or wellness.

With these uncertainties swirling, innovative, consumer-orientedbenefit designs are becoming an employer’s most effective strategyagainst the health care cost trend. Self-funding medical plansgives the employer the most flexibility to design a plan thatreflects the company’s values, delights employees, and generatessavings that can be deployed for other benefits or flowed to thebottom line.