Manufacturing honchos doubt Congressional resolve (caj–?) to reform health care

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Chief executives from the U.S. manufacturing andtransportation sectors say something must be done about soaringhealth-care costs but doubt the ability of Washington to come up withmeaningful, bipartisan reform.  “There is a lot of work that needs to be done on the part of thepoliticians to rein in some of these costs,” Lincoln Electric HoldingsInc (CEO John Stropki said at the Reuters Manufacturing Summit in Chicagothis week, adding: “I have very little confidence in Washington.”  In some cases, U.S. companies say they are focusing on “wellness”programs to cut health-care costs, including encouraging employees toeat well, exercise and quit smoking.  U.S. health-care costs have seen double-digit increases for much of the past decade and are set to keep on rising.  “Something eventually has to give there,” said Wick Moorman, CEO of U.S. railroad Norfolk Southern Corp “This is a critical issue that is confronting our economy.”

Source:  Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/Manufacturing08/idUSN2859337320080228