, driving our members into generic drugs -- a higher copiague, driving our members into generic drugs. the board also, when rates were so high last year, instructed us to do a competitive rfp. we came in with a 3.1% increase that has been the envy of every employer in northern california. northern california has the second-highest health care costs in the country, second only to hartford, conn. hopefully we can keep dust down through payment reform and accountable care organizations. the other thing we have consistently done as implement eligibility on that. we've done everything any large employer would do to keep costs down and have done an extremely successfully. i shall have the numbers each year we have saved and i can share that with you. our copays our comparative to other counties and large employers, so we are right in line. our packets are no more generous than other counties. but i want to emphasize the only way in the long term to keep that number from rising because health care costs are going to continue to increase is to have healthier employees and retirees. that is go

, reduced the pay, its -- raised the copiagu- reduced the benefits, in order to meet their costs.that is a fact of life the we have all had to live with. i do not think businesses want to do it. but we have been forced to do it. if we do nothing, if we take the ostrich theory, we will see that continue into the future. health care is the biggest single problem that we face from a fiscal viewpoint. if you just look at medicare and medicaid, it is about 6% of gdp today, and it is going to go to 10% before you know it. that does not even count the dollar sign276 daily -- down to $276 it takes to fix the class act. we think we have to stand up to that, and we have proposed some pretty aggressive proposals. we haven't addressed the things we felt were responsible in order to -- we have have addressed the things we felt were responsible in order to meet the fiscal challenges. we have made promises and we of not delivered on them. >> in normal business, you increase costs to workers or that benefit is likely to decrease. they have increased the share being picked up by the employee. the

, reduced the pay, its -- raised the copiagu- reduced the benefits, in order to meet their costs.that is a fact of life the we have all had to live with. i do not think businesses want to do it. but we have been forced to do it. if we do nothing, if we take the ostrich theory, we will see that continue into the future. health care is the biggest single problem that we face from a fiscal viewpoint. if you just look at medicare and medicaid, it is about 6% of gdp today, and it is going to go to 10% before you know it. that does not even count the dollar sign276 daily -- down to $276 it takes to fix the class act. we think we have to stand up to that, and we have proposed some pretty aggressive proposals. we haven't addressed the things we felt were responsible in order to -- we have have addressed the things we felt were responsible in order to meet the fiscal challenges. we have made promises and we of not delivered on them. >> in normal business, you increase costs to workers or that benefit is likely to decrease. they have increased the share being picked up by the employees. the

if they of the copiague on it, perhaps it would save money -- if they up the co-pay, perhaps it would save money. if they complain about anything, the doctors are and forced to do all of the testing because of their position. my second comment is all of these people who are complaining about everyone being covered and everyone paying for their medical coverage, of it would reduce the cost to those who have insurance now. you are paying more for insurance, more in property taxes for hospitals -- what am i trying to say? to cover the indigence. everyone have coverage rather than fighting against like automobile insurance, perhaps the premiums would come down. i do not know how to fix ceo salaries and those types of things, but that is another story. that is my comment. , st: mary ann in floriday thank you for your call. guest: you bring a big point about medicaid abuse and flaws in the program. that is something the program -- the administration has given top priority. there have been several hearings on that and there is a new task force between the department of justice and hhs to roo

, reduced the pay, its -- raised the copiagu- reduced the benefits, in order to meet their costs.that is a fact of life the we have all had to live with. i do not think businesses want to do it. but we have been forced to do it. if we do nothing, if we take the ostrich theory, we will see that continue into the future. health care is the biggest single problem that we face from a fiscal viewpoint. if you just look at medicare and medicaid, it is about 6% of gdp today, and it is going to go to 10% before you know it. that does not even count the dollar sign276 daily -- down to $276 it takes to fix the class act. we think we have to stand up to that, and we have proposed some pretty aggressive proposals. we haven't addressed the things we felt were responsible in order to -- we have have addressed the things we felt were responsible in order to meet the fiscal challenges. we have made promises and we of not delivered on them. >> in normal business, you increase costs to workers or that benefit is likely to decrease. they have increased the share being picked up by the employees. the

caller: it helped her with her copiague going down, the price that she pays for the insurance, plus theedication and everything has gone down. host: linda is a republican from orlando, florida. caller: first of all, i believe the ceo or the on the project owner of starbucks has come out against the obamacare because of the negative impact it will have on small business. i hope he can do a little research and report more about that. i just heard this morning. host: we saw that story yesterday. i will look it up. go ahead, linda. caller: i have not heard a single person mentioned this and i think it is important. the democrats often criticize republicans as being cold hearted because many of us want this repealed. but it does not matter if you believe that none of the benefits matter, when you believe it is unconstitutional. no matter how good all of these benefits and advantages could become a if it is unconstitutional, then it should not be. people really need to look at that, if it is not constitutional. then it has to go and it has to be -- i believe in health reform, absolutely. but