How Corporate Executives View Rising Health Care Cost and the Role of Government April 29, 2021 Report This survey of executive decision-makers at over 300 large private employers finds most see rising health costs as a threat to their businesses and believe a broader government role will be necessary to control health costs and ensure coverage.
Vast Majority of Large Employers Surveyed Say Broader Government Role Will Be Necessary to Control Health Costs and Provide Coverage, Survey Finds April 29, 2021 News Release Top executives at nearly 90% of large employers surveyed believe the cost of providing health benefits to employees will become unsustainable in the next five-to-10 years, and 85% expect the government will be required to intervene to provide coverage and contain costs, according to a new survey released today from…
Corporate Leaders Are Getting Bullish On Government Action On Health Care Costs April 29, 2021 Perspective In this Axios column, Drew Altman explores whether the long struggle with rising health costs has caused the tide to turn in corporate leaders’ attitudes towards government involvement in controlling health spending and whether it is part of a larger shift in comfort with government action to solve problems.
Lowering the Age of Medicare Eligibility Would Likely Reduce Health Spending for Employers, But Raise Costs for the Federal Government by Covering More People in Medicare April 27, 2021 News Release Two new KFF analyses find that lowering the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 60 could significantly reduce health spending for employers, who could potentially pass savings to employees in the form of lower premiums or higher wages. Additionally, per person health spending for older adults who move from…
Health Spending for 60-64 Year Olds Would Be Lower Under Medicare Than Under Large Employer Plans April 27, 2021 Issue Brief During the presidential campaign, President Biden proposed to lower the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 60. This analysis uses claims data for covered medical services from both large employer plans and traditional Medicare to illustrate the potential spending effects of using Medicare payment rates in lieu of higher rates paid by employer plans for people 60-64 who shift from large employer plans to Medicare.
How Lowering the Medicare Eligibility Age Might Affect Employer-Sponsored Insurance Costs April 27, 2021 Issue Brief This analysis for the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker illustrates the potential for employer savings if the age of Medicare eligibility were lowered to 60, as proposed by President Biden during the 2020 campaign.
Private Insurers Are Expected to Pay $2.1 Billion in Rebates to Consumers This Year for Excessive Health Insurance Premiums Relative to Health Care Expenses April 12, 2021 News Release Private insurance companies are expecting to pay out $2.1 billion in rebates to consumers this fall, the second highest amount ever issued under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new KFF analysis. The rebates, which are calculated based on the share of premium revenues that insurance companies paid out…
What Have Pandemic-Related Job Losses Meant for Health Coverage? September 11, 2020 Blog Surprisingly, in comparison to the nearly 9% drop in employment from March to June, early data suggests that employers had kept coverage rates remarkably steady, at least through mid-summer. We find that enrollment in the fully-insured group market dropped by just 1.3% from the end of March through the end of June.
Key Issues Related to COBRA Subsidies May 28, 2020 Issue Brief Congress is considering proposals to subsidize COBRA coverage. We discuss the group market coverage that would be extended by COBRA subsidies, how COBRA costs and coverage compare to other common coverage options for those who lose job-based coverage (ACA Marketplace plans or Medicaid), and key considerations regarding COBRA subsidies for consumers and employers.
