Dive Brief:
- Employee Benefits News (EBN) reports that 61% of employees surveyed don't think the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will impact their lives. Jellyvision, an employee communication platform provider, commissioned Harris Poll to conduct the survey.
- Although most survey respondents aren't worried about the ACA's demise, they still want to keep the provisions they like, says EBN. Coverage for pre-existing conditions (80%), free preventative care (78%) and coverage for adult children until age 26 (67%) are benefits they want to keep.
- EBN says survey results broken down by political party showed that 68% of Republicans, 55% of Democrats and 60% of independents believe that the repeal won't personally affect them.
Dive Insight:
Republicans are currently focused on passing the Senate's version of the ACA repeal. While employer-sponsored healthcare plans do remain mostly untouched, some aspects of the bill — including rumored lifetime limits — could eventually lead to limitations on coverage and access.
Employees generally seem to have a hands-off approach to healthcare, however, which colors their experience negatively at times. The survey revealed that 20% of respondents said they regret the benefits they chose, half found selecting benefits stressful, and 55% said they'd like more help from their employer with choosing a health plan.
HR can hold training sessions for employees on plan offerings and how to select the right plan based on their personal and financial needs. Healthcare information should be accessible to workers year-round and not just during open enrollment.
Employers may feel burdened by the reporting requirements and the Cadillac tax, but they also recognize the provisions that workers like. Some employers said they plan to keep offering those benefits even if the ACA is repealed.