Do you provide healthcare support of some type to your employees? Do you wish you could? Boy the statistics about this problem are pretty staggering when you think about them.

In case you haven't kept up here is some relevant data on the topic:

- The number of Americans who are underinsured or are without any type of insurance coverage at all remains staggering at more than 42 million.

- The U.S. population is aging rapidly. At the same time, the life expectancy of seniors is extending. Senior citizens will place a significant strain on the health care system in coming years. America's 78 million Baby Boomers begin turning 65 in 2011.

- The number of seniors covered by Medicare will continue to grow at an exceedingly high rate, from 42.5 million people in 2006 to 70.2 million in 2025.

- Patients' expenditures for pharmaceuticals are skyrocketing, creating a large backlash among health consumers and payors.

- Malpractice insurance costs are out of control.

- Few Americans focus on leading healthy lifestyles that would prevent disease and cut both the amount and the cost of medical care. A 2005 study led by researchers at Michigan State University estimated that 76% of Americans do not smoke, but only 40.1% maintain a healthy weight and only 22.2% exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times per week. Likewise, only 23.3% were found to eat the recommended amount of daily fruit and vegetable servings.

- While only a relatively modest amount of money is spent on preventative medicine and health education, about 70% of health care funds are spent on chronic disease.

I happen to be one of those baby boomers and I am worried, self-funding insurance for my family has doubled in cost for the same coverage over the last 4 years.

It seems like I have no choice in my care provider based on quality of service and no time to make a choice when a reactive need arises. While in many areas of life choices of products and services is growing exponentially in healthcare our choices seem very limited and restricted.

What are your thoughts?