ALLIANCE TO FIGHT FOR HEALTH CARE
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NEWS
New poll: Health costs are a top priority among insured Americans, bipartisan support to make the market work more efficiently for patients and employers
The Alliance to Fight for Health Care (Alliance), a diverse coalition comprised of businesses, patient advocates, employer organizations, unions, health care companies, consumer groups, and other stakeholders that support employer-provided health coverage, today released a Morning Consult poll of American adults with health care coverage. The findings deliver a number of powerful messages to lawmakers on the direction of health care policy.
“With a new Congress, there is a new opportunity to enact bipartisan, common-sense measures that drive down health costs, the top health care concern for insured Americans,” said James A. Klein, president of the American Benefits Council. “The Alliance’s latest health care poll shows that Americans feel positive about their employer-provided coverage and don’t want massive changes to transform the health care system. We urge Congress to hear these voices and take action to reduce costs and protect the system through which 178 million Americans receive health coverage.”
According to the Census Bureau, nearly 300 million people (92% of the total population) are covered by some kind of insurance, with 178 million of them participating in employer-based plans. The Morning Consult poll was sponsored by the Alliance and conducted between December 16-17, 2022, among a nationally representative sample of 1,510 adults with health insurance. The poll finds insured Americans are satisfied with their employer-provided coverage but are concerned about high costs:
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The cost of health care is a serious concern. Eight in ten insured adults are concerned about the cost of care, with seven in ten concerned about the ability to pay, and/or the cost of prescription drugs.
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More than four in five insured adults feel employers should be able to give employees who have enrolled in their company’s health plan a discount for seeing a high-quality doctor, which demonstrates bipartisan support for policies that remove restrictions that impede high-value care.
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Three in four insured Americans believe that when the identical health service is provided in two different sites – such as a doctor’s office and outpatient clinic – the price should be the same, which demonstrates bipartisan support for so-called “site-neutral” payment reform policies.
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Nearly 90% of insured adults believe their health coverage should not be taxed.
TELEHEALTH
December 20, 2022 Telehealth Update
Alliance to Fight for Health Care thanks Congress for keeping telehealth affordable and accessible
The Alliance to Fight for Health Care, a broad-based coalition comprised of businesses, patient advocates, employer organizations, unions, health care companies, consumer groups and other stakeholders that support employer-provided health coverage, issued the following statement as congressional leaders released details of the year-end omnibus package, which includes an extension of an important telehealth provision:
The Alliance to Fight for Health Care thanks Congress and leadership for including in the year-end package an extension of the provision that allows employers the flexibility to offer telehealth services pre-deductible to those with a high-deductible health plan paired with a health savings account. Originally enacted as part of the CARES Act in March 2020, this provision helps keep telehealth and tele-mental health services accessible and affordable.
Earlier this year, the Alliance to Fight for Health Care coordinated a letter garnering support from more than 350 companies and organizations including public and private sector employers, nonprofits, chambers of commerce, patient advocacy groups, insurers, brokers, unions, and multinational companies urging Congress to extend this critical telehealth provision. Voters also support and appreciate this important telehealth flexibility, with recent polling finding 76% of voters support Congress extending this provision. We look forward to the passage of this package as quickly as possible so President Biden can sign the legislation into law before the end of the year.
The Alliance to Fight for Health Care looks forward to working with Congress in the new year to make this important flexibility permanent and consider additional ways to strengthen and protect the employer-provided health care system.
“One silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the widespread adoption of telehealth services, making health care more affordable and accessible,” said James A. Klein, president of the American Benefits Council. “Telehealth helps doctors meet a patient’s health care needs where they are — whether they are in a rural area with few health care providers or an hourly worker who is able to meet with a tele-mental health provider on their lunch break. Telehealth is proving to be a critical source of mental health care. We applaud Congress for extending this important provision for America’s workers.”
THE ALLIANCE TO FIGHT
FOR HEALTH CARE
Fighting for Your Health Care
The Alliance to Fight for Health Care is a diverse coalition comprised of businesses, patient advocates, employer organizations, unions, health care companies, consumer groups and other stakeholders that support employer-provided health coverage. Together, we are working to ensure that employer-provided coverage remains an available and affordable option for working Americans and their families. The coalition, previously working as the Alliance to Fight the 40, led the successful effort to repeal the so-called 40% “Cadillac Tax” on health care coverage.
“The Alliance’s goal is to advance public policy that makes health care more affordable, strengthens job-based coverage and supports continued innovation that delivers value to working families.”