Employer Sponsored Health Care Outlook Focus of ECFC Annual Conference.

Member Survey Shows Costs and Legislative Uncertainty Greatest Health Care Issues

WASHINGTON -- Benefits executives and regulatory and business leaders gathered to discus the outlook and strategies for employer-sponsored health care at the ECFC Annual Conference, held March 8-9. ECFC members and attendees also participated in a survey measuring attitudes on current issues facing health care in America.

The overwhelming majority of survey respondents, 73%, believe that expanded health savings accounts and consumer directed health care are the best ways to reform health care insurance. Thirteen percent said that the current employer sponsored system works fine and no reforms are needed; enacting a single payer system and adopted reforms at the state level were both sited by 7%. None of the respondents favored President Bush's plan.

Uncertainty of legislative status impacting health insurance at the federal and state levels was sited by 47% of survey respondents when asked, "What is the greatest health care issue affecting your business?" The cost of medical care followed by 27%, with 13% naming the cost of prescription drugs. The uninsured and "employees not using insurance effectively or taking care of their health," were both named by 7%.

The cost of health insurance was sited by 47% as the greatest issue facing the American public, with confusion on health insurance plans following with 33%. Thirteen percent named quality of health care and 7% named lack of coverage.

When asked which of the current proposals cause greatest concern, President Bush's proposal and a single payer system tied with 43% of respondents each. The threat of health savings accounts changes and the Wal-Mart/Union plan were both sited by 7%.

"The conference attendees are committed to protecting the health care of American workers," said Lewis Freeman, President of ECFC. "The attendees, ranging from regulatory officials to third party administrators to corporate executives, were highly engaged in an open dialogue. The feedback we've received has been tremendous."

Other conference highlights included:

* What Wal-Mart Is Doing To Make A Difference - Kate Sullivan Hare, Director, Health Care Policy, Wal-Mart.

* A Vision for Health Care Reform - Karen Ignagni, AHIP 

* State Level Health Care Reform: A Private Prescription - Robert Patricelli, CEO, Evolution Benefits and Co-Chair of the Connecticut Health Insurance Policy Council.

* Health Benefit Issues from the Department of Labor's Perspective - John J. Canary, Chief, Division of Coverage, Reporting & Disclosure, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

* Strategies To Help You Survive in 2007 - A roundtable of lawyers from ECFC's Technical Advisory Council. Moderator: John Hickman, Alston & Bird. Christine Keller, Groom Law Group; Kathryn Bakich, The Segal Company.

The Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of private employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis. The organization has two driving missions. The first is to represent and promote flexible compensation programs through effective lobbying. The second is to provide information on flexible compensation programs to members, national opinion leaders and the general public to help create a positive climate for the growth of flexible compensation.