Anyone who has spent even fifteen minutes genuinely listening to the current “debate” about health care reform can’t help but conclude that, as with most things insurance related, there is a whole lotta ignorance goin’ on. Sadly, most of us couldn’t find our insurance card with both hands in a full moon. We don’t really understand our own health care coverage (assuming we have it), and haven’t the faintest idea how the present health care business model, payment system, and having 47 million uninsured using the local hospital ER as their primary care physician impacts each and every one of us.

You’d think that, given the amount of money spent in this nation on health care (roughly $7000 per capita) we would be much better informed than we are about how the “system” works, and what the issues are. Sadly, we aren’t, and it’s beginning to appear that most would prefer to sit on the sidelines like deer in the headlights of an onrushing train while some of our even less informed neighbors scream “tastes great or less filling” into every open microphone.

However this turns out, it has made obvious the fact that those of us who run businesses have a lot of work to do in seeing to it that our people better understand the benefits we’re already providing them. Some would say that it’s not management’s job to educate people on their benefits. Let’s get real steely eyed and put our bean counter’s green eyeshade on for a moment. If you’re not going to see to it that people truly understand (make that appreciate) the significant investment you’re making in them, and thus forego any motivational tailwind from that investment, then why are you making it?

Here’s a suggestion, and a place to start. Just as many organizations are now requiring insured employees to complete an annual health questionnaire (the results are kept from the employer) as a condition of getting the most favorable coverage and rates, do the same thing with a benefits “test.” After reviewing some well crafted, idiot-proof material on how your benefit plans work, how plan participants can reduce waste while gaining the best coverage for themselves and their families, give them a test, the results of which influence their premiums. Then perhaps we’ll start moving the needle, and you’ll start getting some better ROI on your benefit dollars.

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A thought leader in the arena of leadership and employee engagement, Bill Catlette is a seminar leader, keynote speaker, and executive coach. He helps individuals and organizations improve business outcomes by having a focused, engaged, capably led workforce. For more information about Bill, his partner Richard Hadden, and their work, please visit their website at www.contentedcows.com, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ContentedCows