Employers
nationwide face the fourth consecutive year of double-digit
increases in health-care costs in 2003, with the increase
likely to be the highest since the early 1990s, prominent
human-resources consulting firm is projecting
Inpatient
hospital costs outstrip pharmaceutical costs as a primary
driver of health-care costs, new research released Oct. 23
concludes.
"As
widely reported, 79 percent of healthcare costs are driven
by hospital and physician costs," the Blue Cross and Blue
Shield Association (BCBSA) said in a release announcing the
research
Linda
Liszewski, an environmental management specialist with Eastman
Kodak Company, has received The Business Council's "Building
a Better New York" Award in recognition of her contributions
to the work of The Council's Environment Committee
A
new analysis of New York State's recent economic performance
confirms that upstate enjoyed significant job growth in the
10-year period ending in 2001 - especially in the years after
lawmakers began reducing taxes and making other business climate
reforms intended to foster job growth
Maureen
Helmer, chair of the New York State Public Service Commission
(PSC), will speak at the Nov. 19 meeting of The Business Council's
Energy Committee.
The
meeting will run from 1:30-3 p.m. at The Business Council's
headquarters in Albany
By
Daniel Fiorino and Marcia Seidner
Corporations
that demonstrate responsible environmental citizenship tend
to be perceived well in the eyes of local communities, consumers,
suppliers, distributors, and investors - all of which translates
into stronger bottom lines
Top
legislative leaders and fiscal-policy experts will speak at
the annual Issues Conference of The Business Council's Government
Affairs Council (GAC). The conference is set for 9 a.m.-4
p.m. Nov. 20 at the headquarters of the New York State Nurses'
Association in Latham, Albany County
The
Center for Economic Growth and The Business Council of New
York State, Inc. will present "Creative Regional Economies:
An Action Agenda," the second in the Future Forward Speaker
Series on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 4 p
To
cope with its budget problems next year, New York should return
to the cut-taxes-and-restrain-spending approach that helped
the state prosper after similar challenges in 1995, a new
economic analysis has concluded
A
vocal advocate of higher taxes and more government spending
is urging Albany to increase taxes by as much as $3 billion
- even though its analysis acknowledges that tax increases
can be harmful to an economy.
The
Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI), which is funded primarily by
public-employee unions in Albany and which also receives funding
from left-of-center foundations, made the call in New York
State's 2003-04 Economic and Budget Outlook, a brief report
published on its Web site, www