The Employee Mindset: View Behaviors, and Solutions 2010
It’s all about affordability when it comes to evaluating future coverage. Overall, participants were dissatisfied with the health care reform process and are skeptical about how the new legislation will affect them personally, their employers, and the nation.
While four out of ten respondents said they believe the country will be better off with health care reform, only two out of ten believe they or their employers will be better off. Just over one-half of respondents believe all employers will be worse off, and 44% believe the country as a whole will be worse off as a result of health care reform (see chart on page 2).
The survey also found that two-thirds of respondents believe all employers should be required to offer some form of health coverage or pay a tax penalty; one of the provisions that was included in the new law. However, individuals showed far less support for government taxation of high-cost health plans (‘Cadillac Tax’). Six out of ten (61%) opposed the provision in the law to tax plans whose benefits are valued above a specific dollar amount.
Health care cost is a major concern, with 70% of employees and dependents very/somewhat worried about the affordability of health care coverage. Employees prefer to purchase health care coverage from their employers, but they’re open to other future options. Over the next three to five years, 65% of employees plan to continue using employer coverage for their medical needs with more than 35% indicating they would consider other options, if available.
This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Hewitt Associates and the National Business Group on Health among 3,026 consumers (both employees and dependents, union and nonunion) ages 23 and older who receive health care benefits from an employer with at least 2,000 employees.
Medical Benefits 9/15/2010