Study: Workers fear rising price of health insurance
BPC Staff Nov 6, 2015 | 4:57 pm
1 min read time
234 wordsAll Latest News, Health and Wellness, InsuranceTwo-thirds of U.S. workers report satisfaction with the health coverage currently available to them, yet concern about the future affordability of those benefits is rising dramatically, according to a new survey by Mercer.
Only 41 percent of respondents to the survey believe health care will be affordable five years from now, compared with 62 percent who say it’s affordable now, according to Mercer’s latest data from the Inside Employees’ Minds™ Survey. The survey of more than 3,000 employees represents a cross section of the overall U.S. workforce.
The survey also shows strong satisfaction with retirement benefits (60 percent), which rank second to pay in importance to employees. But notable is employees’ rising concern about the cost of health care in retirement; 32 percent today say saving for health care expenses in retirement is a top priority, up from 24 percent five years ago.
“Employees of all types continue to value benefits, with nine in 10 saying they are just as important as getting paid,” said Gillian Printon, senior partner in Mercer’s health and benefits business. “This is remarkable despite a marked shift toward greater cost sharing with employees and a perception that benefits are less robust today than in the past.
“Combined with younger generations seeking more flexible offerings, this study suggests we have an increasingly benefit-savvy working population that is accepting shared accountability but with grave concerns over affordability in just a few short years.”
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