Posted on January 15, 2008

Commonwealth Fund Issues Two Reports Related to Healthcare Coverage

An overwhelming majority of Americans favor keeping a role for employers in paying for health insurance but believe that coverage should be the shared responsibility of employers, individuals, and government, a new survey by the Commonwealth Fund finds.

According to The Public's Views on Health Care Reform in the 2008 Presidential Election, 81 percent of Americans believe that in order to help reach the goal of health insurance for all, employers should either provide health insurance to their workers or contribute to the cost of their coverage. Indeed, nearly nine out of ten (88 percent) Democrats, three out of four (73 percent) Republicans, and four out of five (79 percent) Independents said they would support such an employer "play or pay" requirement. In addition, 67 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of Republicans, and 70 percent of Independent voters believe that health insurance costs should be shared by individuals, employers, and the government. A majority of Americans also were strongly or somewhat in favor of requiring individuals to have health insurance coverage, with government help for those who cannot afford it.

According to a Commonwealth Fund report on the presidential candidates' health reform plans, Envisioning the Future: The 2008 Presidential Candidates' Health Care Reform Proposals, there are broad differences between the plans put forth by Republican and Democratic candidates, though relatively narrow distinctions among the plans within each party. Although leading candidates from both parties are seeking to expand health coverage through the private insurance market, the leading Democratic candidates would require employers to continue participating in the health insurance system either by providing coverage directly or contributing to the cost of their employees' coverage, while the Republicans support changes in the tax code that have the potential to significantly reduce the role of employers in the provision and financing of health insurance.

The report also found that only Democratic candidates support universal coverage as a goal, while none of the Republican candidates would require that people have health insurance.

"For too long Americans have paid top dollar for a healthcare system that doesn't give them access to the high quality health care they deserve," said Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis. "By enacting the right reforms in the right way, we can ensure that all Americans can benefit from receiving the care they need to stay healthy, cure acute conditions, and keep chronic health problems well controlled."