Date: Jun 10, 2008

Zarb School of Business to Co-Host Long Island Association Panel on "The Future of Health Care"

Program to examine rising costs, shrinking commercial health insurance marketplace, growing government presence, the uninsured

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – The Frank G. Zarb School of Business and the Long Island Association will co-host a panel discussion on "The Future of Health Care" on Thursday, June 19 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Rochelle and Irwin A. Lowenfeld Exhibition Hall, 10th Floor, Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library, South Campus, Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library, South Campus.

The panel will examine the current state of health care in the United States and areas of concern for the business community. Panelists will include David Weiss, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Health Professions and Family Studies at Hofstra; Frank Olsen, senior vice president, HIP; Jeffrey Kraut, senior vice president for planning, North Shore- LIJ Health Systems; Brian Currie, president and CEO of the Long Island Health Network; Mark Cappola, executive director of the Nassau County Medical Society;

"The U.S. currently spends approximately $2.3 trillion on health care annually – 16% of GDP. That spending is expected to double by 2016 and become 20% of GDP. These costs translate to the business community in the form of increasing health insurance benefit costs that are making the U.S. uncompetitive in the global economy," said Fred Barba, chief operating officer for the LIA Health Alliance, who will moderate the panel and conduct a question and answer session following the discussion.

"This panel brings together Long Island’s premier business school and its largest business group to discuss a topic that has a major impact on the cost of doing business in our region and nationwide," said Zarb Dean Salvatore F. Sodano. "The Zarb School of Business is happy to provide a forum where large corporations and small businesses can come together to discuss this and other important issues that affect Long Island’s economy and our nation’s business community."

Topics to be discussed include:

•    Total U.S. healthcare costs are now estimated at $2.3 trillion annually, 16% of GDP. This negatively impacts competitiveness in a global economy.
•    The high cost of health insurance for businesses and their employees.
•    The shrinking commercial health insurance marketplace.
•    Government safety-net products (like Family Health Plus & Child Health.
•    The growing government presence in health insurance.
•    The potential for federal or state legislation leading to universal healthcare.
•    The increasing costs of healthcare delivery an the lack of a national
            focus on cost and quality.
•    The growing uninsured population, estimated at 16% of the U.S. population.  
 
The Long Island Association - the LIA – is the voice of Long Island. Created over 80 years ago, the LIA brings together business, labor, education, government, not-for-profits, chambers of commerce and civic organizations working to make Long Island an even better place to live, work, raise a family, and do business.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis.