Employees Feel Their Own Health Plan is Better Than Most Others

By Clive Riddle, February 9, 2018 Surveys have consistently shown over the years that the public generally ranks Congress low in esteem, but their personal Congressman is held in higher regard. Health Plans, like Congress, have been a favorite target as well, but similarly – people tend to like their personal coverage more than how they view health plans overall. AHIP has just released a 42-page report of findings from their national survey “The Value of Employer Provided Coverage” that not only reinforces this phenomenon – in which respondents rank their own plan higher than their overall view how health care is covered, but also makes the case that consumers place employer provided coverage in higher regard than the nation’s health coverage system as a whole. On top of that, there is perhaps less angst about the nation’s health insurance system overall than one might have thought. 63% were satisfied with the nation's current health insurance system, and 31% were dissatisfied. 71% were satisfied with their own health plan, and 19% were dissatisfied. 60% felt their personal cost was reasonable and 29% felt the cost was unreasonable, while 66% felt the cost was unreasonable for Americans as a whole. 52% described their deductible as reasonable, while 36% said it was unreasonable. However, for those dissatisfied with their plans, 82% cited costs as the main reason. 72% say they are adequately informed about health insurance benefits under their plan, yet only 20% understand that employers average paying above 75% of the total costs. In other findings from the survey: ·         71% remain concerned the cost of health care will continue to rise ·         56% prioritize comprehensive benefits while 41% prioritize affordability of plans. ·         46%said health insurance was a deciding factor in choosing their current job ·         56% support keeping employer provided coverage tax free, and 13% oppose ·         58% prefer increased market competition while 42% support increased government involvement to address costs ·         Prescription drug coverage (51%), preventive care (47%), and emergency care (47%) rank among the benefits that matter most.