US Employer Survey on Healthcare Reform Released by MTA
The Medical Tourism Association recently conducted a survey on employers’ views of US Healthcare Reform at the annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference The Medical Tourism Association recently conducted a survey on employers’ views of US Healthcare Reform at the annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference, which took place June 27-30th, 2010 in San Diego, California. Approximately five hundred employers completed the survey.
Some of the highlights from the survey were that 84% of employers felt that healthcare reform would increase health insurance costs and 58% found that healthcare reform would have a negative effect on the employer’s business. The survey also found that 85% of the employers surveyed felt that Americans would not be able to afford health insurance in 2020. 65% of employers felt healthcare reform would have a positive impact on the growth of medical tourism.
Have you heard of Medical Tourism (when Americans travel overseas for healthcare)?
Yes-29% No-71%
Did you know that Aetna, Wellpoint Blue Cross Blue Shield and other insurance companies have implemented medical tourism for employer groups?
Yes- 12% No- 88%
Would you be interested in offering medical tourism to your employees on a voluntary basis? Example: employees choose whether to get care locally or internationally and save 50% to 90% while receiving equal or better quality of care than in their home country.
Yes- 48% Maybe- 36% No- 16%
Do you believe Healthcare Reform will:
Significantly Increase Insurance Cost- 41%
Increase Health Insurance Cost- 37%
Keep Health Insurance Cost the Same- 10%
Lower Health Insurance Cost- 9%
How does Healthcare Reform Affect Your Business?
Positive- 22%
Negative- 58%
Unknown- 20%
The Tax/Fine for not buying health insurance starts at $95 for an individual in 2014 and rises to $695 in 2016. Do you think this is a large enough incentive to force people to buy health insurance?
Yes- 47%
No- 53%
Starting in 2014, any person can wait until they are sick to purchase health insurance rather than purchasing when they are healthy. Do you think this will destroy the underwriting process?
Yes- 66%
No- 34%
In 2020, family insurance premiums could be between $30,000 to $40,000 per year. With the average income of $56,000, do you think the average American will be able to afford this health insurance premium for their family?
No- 85%
Yes- 15%
Do you think that Healthcare Reform will have a positive effect on the growth of the medical tourism industry, specifically American patient leaving the US?
Yes- 65%
No- 28%
Unknown- 7%
How many employees does your company have?
Up to 1,000- 44%
1,001 to 10,000- 36%
10,001 to 50,000- 9%
50,001 to 100,000- 6%
100,000 +- 5%
“This is one of the Medical Tourism Association’s initiatives that educate employers about medical tourism,” said Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the MTA who is managing the MTA’s booth at the conference.
“Many are even more optimistic about medical tourism because of recent healthcare reform and a common belief amongst U.S. employers that it will significantly increase healthcare costs. Employers are much more open to the idea of medical tourism than ever before.”
The Medical Tourism Association (Medical Travel Association), also known as the Global Healthcare Association, at http://www.MedicalTourismAssociation.com is the first international non-profit association comprised of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. Our Association promotes the interests of its healthcare provider and medical tourism facilitators members. The Medical Tourism Association has three mission-driven tenets: Education, Communication and Transparency.
