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It may be surprising that many workers are unprepared when it comes to additional health
expenses. The estimated out-of-pocket costs for a patient who suffers a heart attack are
$5,000 to more than $8,000 over the expected year of treatment.
6
Still, the Aflac study found
46 percent of workers have less than $1,000 in savings for out-of-pocket health costs, and 25
percent of those have less than $500.
5
No one likes to imagine themselves or their loved ones
becoming sick or injured, but being prepared can be critical to getting better and bouncing
back to enjoy the things that matter most.
Employers may consider adjusting their employment structure (number of part-time
employees), additionally implementing supplemental policies outside of a Health Insurance
Marketplace to help employees cope with daily living expenses and out-of-pocket costs
associated with accidents or illnesses. These policies pay
in addition
to major medical
insurance, including policies that may be in place through marketplaces.
Post-reform Factors
After health care reform is implemented, there are many factors that may come into play
that will impact employers and their decisions regarding employer-sponsored benefits. While
it is still too early to tell, a few important factors to watch include:
• Leveraging opportunities to differentiate your business from competitors
• Viability of marketplaces and quality of coverage employees can buy on their own
• Quality of care and care continuity
• Affordability of plans for employees
• Employee expectations, uncertainty and reactions to choices
• Administrative burdens due to provisions such as auto-enrollment and reporting
