According to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, the results of a recent survey of more than 26,000 working Americans “paint a devastating picture of a health care system that costs too much, covers too little, leaves too many behind and is getting worse.”
The results of the poll, AFL-CIO's Health Care for America survey, were released during a March 25 telephone news briefing and revealed that most of those polled were insured and employed, and more than half were college graduates and/or in union jobs.
Yet an overwhelming number said they were struggling with the cost of health care. Ninety-five percent of the respondents said they are somewhat or very concerned about being able to afford health insurance in the coming years. One-third of the respondents reported that they skipped medical care because of cost, and a quarter had serious problems paying for the care they needed.
Occupational Hazards talked to Heather Booth, director of the AFL-CIO's health care campaign, about whether employers can play a part in improving health care policies for their workers. She said only the federal government can provide the real solution.
“This can't be resolved just employer by employer,” she said. “Unless there is a national solution, there is no way to have a watchdog on the costs to bargain over the price of prescription drugs, for instance, to ensure that some of the wastes and efficiencies are moved out of system, and that there are real alternative plans so that the plans themselves reflect the needs of the public and you can then keep your employer-based coverage, or have the option of a private plan or a public plan.
“We think this will benefit employers as well as employees,” Booth added.