The cost of health care in the United States is spiraling to levels that our grandparents would have thought impossible. And yet, we find ourselves, as a nation, spending more on health care each year than many other countries spend on defense.

Where this is becoming a matter for risk managers — aside from the obvious need for workers comp cost containment and loss prevention — is that the level of resources dedicated to employee health demands some level of strategic risk oversight.

For those who cut their teeth on return-to-work policies and part-time disability programs, this is an interesting development, as I learned speaking with vendors and practitioners in the field today. The rising cost of keeping a workforce healthy is providing risk managers with a growing challenge to drive the convergence of risk management, human resources and workers compensation. For some, one suspects this will be quite a challenge, but for others, it might be better seen as an opportunity to expand their professional scope.

A quick walk through the RIMS Exhibit Hall shows more than a few firms that are deep in the trenches when it comes to helping risk managers carve out their workers comp costs and manage them more efficiently. Stop to share a few words with these folks and you’ll find doing that is a task far more easily said than done, but one worth the effort anyway. Keep your eyes peeled for future posts on this topic here at the Monitor and also on the pages of Risk Management magazine.