With fall open enrollment season underway at most companies, many employers and employees are keenly aware of the likelihood of future increases in health insurance premiums and reductions in benefits.

At this point, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has had a dramatic impact in health care or increased access. But chronic illnesses and other medical conditions continue to drive up health care costs, and PPACA will require even more changes for employer-provided health insurance in future years. Both are expected to trigger more rate hikes, benefit cuts or both.

At McKesson Corporation, the nation's largest health care services and information technology company, we tried cost-cutting to hold the line on health plan rates but found it was producing diminishing returns. So in 2007, before the federal policymakers began to seriously discuss national reforms, we launched an employee health and wellness program that aimed to improve employee health, reduce health care costs and help rein in rising premiums.