News You Can Use: Employers against mandate

President-elect Obama, take note: A pre-election survey by Buck Consultants finds that U.S. employers want to continue to provide health coverage to their employees, but are against a government mandate to do so.

Most employers favor a health-care system similar to what already exists, but adding:
• a safety net for the uninsured.
• a continuing, and potentially expanded, role for consumer-driven health plans.
• a national promotion of health and wellness.

Among other findings, if a mandate does become law, two-thirds believe employers should have plan design discretion, such as the option to offer CDHPs. As the Chamber of Commerce's public affairs director Katie Strong told Benefits Forum & Expo attendees in Sept., "Employers feel that they can manage health benefits and plan flexibility much better than the federal government."