No one knows what will happen to health care in the future as a result of health-care reform. There's no doubt, however, that something will happen. Changes to flexible benefits are expected by January 1, 1997, and full health-care reform should be in effect the following year.
Although 1998 sounds far off, companies must begin now to prepare their HR information systems (HRIS) to effectively manage their companies' health-care programs through the changes that will occur. Businesses must have the ability to collect and analyze health-care data. On top of that, the health-care system as proposed by President Bill Clinton requires a linkage between organizations, their health-care …