Findings from the EBRI/Greenwald & Associates 2017 Health and Workplace Benefit Survey
January 2018, Vol. 39, No. 1
Paperback, 14 pp.
PDF, 1,210 kb
Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2018
Download Notes PDF
Executive Summary
The EBRI/Greenwald & Associates Health and Workplace Benefits Survey
(WBS) examines a broad spectrum of health care issues, including workersf
satisfaction with health care today, their confidence in the health care system
and the Medicare program, and their attitudes toward benefits in the workplace.
It is co-sponsored by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and
Greenwald & Associates with support from six private organizations.
The 2017 survey was conducted June 13–22, 2017, using Research Nowfs
online consumer research panel. A total of 1,518 workers in the United States
ages 21–64 participated in the survey. The data are weighted by gender, age, and
education to reflect the actual proportions in the employed population.
This EBRI Notes article identifies the key findings of the 2017 survey:
- Health care most critical issue: Workers rank health care
as the most critical issue in the nation. In 2017, 31 percent of workers rank
health care as the most critical issue in the United States. And more
concretely, 60 percent of workers report that health insurance is extremely
important when considering whether to stay in or choose a new job, whereas
only 42 percent report that a retirement savings plan is extremely important.
- Health care system poor or fair: In 2017, a majority of
workers (55 percent) describe the health care system as poor (25 percent) or
fair (30 percent).
- Confidence about the health care system is mixed and declines
looking into the future: Workersf confidence about specific aspects
of the health care system overall is mixed and falls the further out into the
future one looks.
- For example, 45 percent of workers indicate they are extremely or very
confident about their ability to get the treatments they need today, only
34 percent are confident about their ability to get needed treatments
during the next 10 years, and just 26 percent are confident about this
once they are eligible for Medicare.
- Similarly, 30 percent of workers say they are confident that they are
able to afford health care without financial hardship today, but this
percentage decreases to 26 percent when they look out over the next 10
years and to 23 percent when they consider the Medicare years.
- Confidence in workersf own health plans remains high:
Workers tend to be more favorable about their own health plans than they are
about the health care system overall. One-half of workers with health
insurance coverage are extremely or very satisfied with their current health
plan. Workers are generally confident that their employers or unions will
continue to offer health insurance in the future. Nearly two-thirds (63
percent) of workers report that they are extremely or very confident.
- Workers concerned about cost: Workersf dissatisfaction
with health insurance is focused primarily on cost: just 22 percent are
extremely or very satisfied with the cost of their health insurance plan, and
only 18 percent are satisfied with the costs of health care services not
covered by insurance. Approximately one-half of workers (48 percent) report
having experienced an increase in health care costs in the past year, about
the same percentage as in 2016 and 2015, but down from 61 percent in
2013.
- Workers satisfied with quality: Workers are generally
satisfied with the quality of medical care received. One-half of workers (49
percent) say they are extremely or very satisfied with the quality of the
medical care they have received in the past two years, 33 percent are somewhat
satisfied, and 13 percent are not too (8 percent) or not at all (5 percent)
satisfied.
- Workersf views since 2016: Workersf opinions about the
health care system and their own health care have not changed since 2016. This
suggests that the underlying reasons for workersf concern about health care
are fundamental and not swayed by the current political debate.
- Rising health care costs has implications for financial
wellbeing: Of the one-half of workers reporting cost increases, 26
percent state they have decreased their contributions to retirement plans, and
43 percent have decreased their contributions to other savings. More than
one-quarter also report they have had difficulty paying for basic necessities
such as food, heat, and housing, while 36 percent say they have had difficulty
paying other bills. Nearly one-third say they have used up all or most of
their savings or have increased their credit card debt, 22 percent report that
they have borrowed money, 27 percent have delayed retirement, 19 percent have
dropped other insurance benefits, 15 percent have taken a loan or withdrawal
from a retirement plan, and 13 percent have purchased additional insurance to
help with expenses.
(Jan. 25, 2018)