Report: 84 Percent of Companies Oppose Universal Health Care
Most U.S. companies do not support a single-payer health care system or state legislation mandating coverage, preferring instead to rely on private-sector solutions, according to research by consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide and the National Business Group on Health. In fact, 84 percent of employers do not support a single-payer system such as universal health care coverage, the groups say in the 13th annual Watson Wyatt/National Business Group on Health report.
Instead, 78 percent of employers favor private-sector solutions, according to the report. More than two-thirds of employers (69 percent) do not support state legislation such as the law enacted in Massachusetts that mandates coverage for state residents. Nearly the same percentage (63 percent) supports a joint effort between the public and private sectors that combines government programs, employer coverage, and individual requirements.
While companies continue to monitor legislative activity, more than a third (35 percent) say reform proposals are having no influence on their decisions to make plan changes, and 62 percent are still making plan changes as they monitor reform proposals.