DETROIT — One of the year’s most important automotive conferences will feature a key address on one of the most important problems facing automakers and suppliers.
The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) is hosting AutoTech 2005 from Aug. 29 through Sept. 1 at the
AIAG has lined up what it calls seven “heavy hitters” who will comment on vital issues, concerns and trends that are impacting the global supply chain. One of those scheduled to speak is Robert Moroni. He directs health-care plans for General Motors Corp. and his address is titled “Healthcare Costs and the Automotive Industry.”
“The overarching message is why we all need to help improve the
“I’ll probably do a little bit of comparing the
“As people doing business in this country, we have to take a leadership role in helping to fix the problem.”
He said that startling statistic prompted a number of employers to form a group called Leapfrog, which has dedicated itself to improving the system.
Moroni also said he would discuss changes to public policy that would add transparency to hospitals and physicians — such as incorporating Medicare data into their decisions — and would share his thoughts on medical liability reform and catastrophic medical insurance.
As for his worldwide comparisons of delivery systems, Moroni said the result is the same, in both cost and quality, no matter which foreign country — whether it’s Germany, Canada or Japan — he uses to compare with the system in this country.
“It’s certainly less expensive care, if you look at it on an adjusted basis like health-care spending per capita. But the fact is, more money has not increased the quality of care in this country. A lot of the data also suggests that even though we’re paying more, on the 16 health indicators that are used to commonly rank health-care systems across countries, we come in as the second from the lowest,” he said.
“So we’re spending all this money, but we’re not even living as long as the people in
“(The cost) is significantly less in
Moroni was asked what he thought would happen to automobile manufacturing in this country in the coming years if the nation’s health-care system continues as is and doesn’t undergo some reforms.
“I’m not even going to touch that one,” he said. “The only comment I can make on that is, this certainly is a
Facebook Comments