A new survey has revealed that rising costs are a prime driver in Americans' dissatisfaction with the U.S. health care system. The 2006 Health Confidence Survey, published in the November 2006 Employee Benefit Research Institute publication, EBRI Notes, found that 52 percent of Americans are "not too satisfied" or "not at all satisfied" with the costs of health insurance. No big surprise there, given the skyrocketing premiums.
But the same survey found that – price aside — more than half of Americans are "extremely" (18 percent) or "very" (36 percent) satisfied with their current health plan, while 35 percent are "somewhat" satisfied.
The survey demonstrated that health insurance is highly valued and people are satisfied with the quality of care they receive in the United States. Their only beef is with the inflation.
For brokers looking for new clients, this is all good news, because it provides the opportunity to promote Consumer Driven Health Care (CDHC) as a solution. It's important to remember that Americans who adopt CDHC/HSA policies generally become more satisfied with their healthcare programs. A recent a survey by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association found widespread satisfaction among HSA customers. "The survey also revealed that 47 percent of those consumers with HSAs experienced an increase in satisfaction over the previous year, while only 27 percent of consumers with traditional health plans showed an increase in satisfaction."