Transcript American Benefits Council Membership Survey Presentation of

American Benefits Council
Membership Survey
Presentation of Findings
Report III: Health Benefits
Conducted by Harris Interactive Inc.
on behalf of
American Benefits Council
October 3, 2000
Methodology
• 15 minute survey of members of the
American Benefits Council.
• Survey participants were 200 senior-level
benefits professionals from organizations that
either sponsor directly, administer or service
retirement, health and stock compensation
plans covering more than 100 million
Americans.
• Conducted via Harris’ web-based interviewing
between August 28 and September 6, 2000.
2
Legislative Priority: Health Care Issues
There is little support among members for expanding the right to sue employers or
allowing individual physicians to bargain collectively.
Net
Making Medicare financially sound
55%
41%
Increasing the number of Americans with health
insurance
44%
42%
25%
Providing prescription drug coverage for seniors
Protecting the confidentitality of personal health
information
Providing tax credits to encourage individuals to
purchase health care on their own
21%
Expanding the right to sue employers and health plans
for denied benefits
4%
Allowing physicians and other professionals to bargain
collectively with health plans
70%
67%
46%
58%
37%
15%
11%
2%
0%
86%
45%
22%
15%
13%
10%
95%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Very high priority
Somewhat high priority
3
Congressional Influence: Employer-Sponsored
Health Benefits Issues
Members feel the media and employees have the most influence on Congress regarding
employer-sponsored health benefit issues.
Net
Media
61%
Employees
37%
Plaintiff's lawyers
Employers
35%
43%
13%
Pharmaceutical Companies
8%
Hospitals
8%
Medical technology companies
8%
0%
A lot of influence
43%
86%
86%
82%
59%
27%
Policy think tanks/academics
94%
54%
23%
Doctors
57%
73%
28%
Insurance providers
96%
81%
54%
81%
66%
73%
59%
67%
46%
20%
40%
53%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Some influence
4
Members Prefer an Incremental Approach to
Increasing the Number of Insured Americans
A majority of members believe legislation intended to increase the number of Americans with
health insurance coverage should be approached on an incremental basis.
On a
comprehensive
basis
18%
On an
incremental
basis
82%
5
Concern Over the Rising Cost of Health Care
If health care costs continue to increase at their
current rate, how concerned are you that this could
adversely affect the U.S. economy as a whole?
If health care costs continue to increase at their
current rate, how concerned are you that this will
adversely affect the ability of employers to provide
quality health coverage to their employees?
Concern Over Impact on Economy
Concern Over Impact on Employers
Very
concerned
43%
Not at all
concerned
1%
Somewhat
concerned
49%
Not very
concerned
8%
Concerned (net) = 92%
Somewhat
concerned
24%
Very
concerned
71%
Not very
concerned
5%
Concerned (net) = 95%
6
The Impact of Enacting a Medicare
Prescription Drug Benefit
Members overwhelmingly agree that if federal legislation is enacted to expand prescription drug coverage
through either public or private programs, employers should be reimbursed in the same manner as
insurers and other entities that offer such coverage.
50%
46%
40%
40%
30%
20%
10%
10%
5%
0%
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly disagree
7