Thursday, May 30, 2013

MORE ON HEALTHCARE REFORM

First let me say thanks to all of you who sent e-mails with positive comments about last weeks message. It is certainly a topic that has evoked tremendous interest in our industry along with tremendous confusion.

My job is not to be an expert on the subject but hopefully direct you to some places where you can get helpful information. This week we continue that effort.

In addition to to the BSCAI information from last week and the information that Ruthann Laswick with Blue Water Consulting can provide, let me also suggest the following,

ISSA has an entire link on this subject on their web site which you can access at www.issa.com. IN FACT, THEY WILL BE HOSTING A COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR ON HEALTHCARE REFORM AND ITS EFFECTS ON BSCs ON JUNE 11. Go to http://www.issa.com/? for more information and to register. This should be an outstanding free learning experience and I encourage you to set aside time to learn.

ISSA also has posted a library of articles on the topic at www.issa.com/?id=health_care_reform&lg. By the way the spaces between health care and reform are really underscores so be sure to include that if you go to that sight.

I realize there are rumors that this law will disappear because of all of the confusion but truthfully I don't think that will happen. Senator Cruz of Texas is attempting to delay further implementation until more clarity can be shown but again, his party is in the minority in the Senate and that most likely won't happen. I suggest you forge ahead anticipating that law will hit full force in 2014 as now designed. Better to be ready than to scramble at the last minute. Most of us will be doing that anyway, I suspect.

House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, has issued a 70+ page talking points manual to all of the Democrat members to take back to their district to help clarify and "sell" the law. I have not seen this manual but recommend if you live in a district where you can obtain this information, I recommend you do so. If you live in a Republican district push your representative for more clarification on the points that are not clear to you.

I still contend, as I did in a recent SERVICES magazine article that this new health care law  can be an opportunity for BSCs. Companies who employ in house cleaning staff members may want to shed the body count to save money on the new law and with BSCs being in the labor business we can take over their cleaning and other facility services and relieve them of this employee burden. In the end they pay, whether the people are on their staff or ours so why not use your sales ability and convince them to contract out the services. Everybody wins. The BSC gets a new contract and the customer gets a better maintained facility.

We will continue to monitor the situation and report as warranted on pertinent information as it pertains to our industry.

Don't forget to join us in Omaha Nebraska on Saturday June 29 for a workshop on Selling Contract Cleaning Services in today's economy. When you leave you will also be given a complimentary copy of our book entitled, Selling Contract Cleaning Services. You can register at www.bscai.org. I really hope to see many of you there. It is a fun learning experience.

Till next time.

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