Employers' Views on Incremental Measures to Expand Health Coverage

November/December 2006
Health Affairs, Vol. 25, No. 6
Heidi H. Whitmore, Sara R. Collins, Jon R. Gabel, Jeremy D. Pickreign

This paper examines employers’ views on the importance of health benefits and their perspective on policies aimed at expanding health coverage, reducing administrative expenses, and improving the quality of care. Employers of all sizes hold a positive view of the value of health benefits in attracting and retaining workers and in improving workers’ health and productivity. Small employers support strategies that would make coverage more affordable; large employers support policies that reduce administrative costs and improve quality. Both support policies that would require additional administrative action as opposed to greater financial commitment on the part of firms in expanding coverage.

Free access to this Health Affairs article is available via the Commonwealth Fund Web site by clicking here.

A chart pack, titled Expanding Health Insurance Coverage Through Incremental Reforms: Snapshots of Employer Views, detailing additional survey findings is posted on the Commonwealth Fund Web site.