STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY - HEALTH PULSE OF AMERICA - AUGUST 2003

CONCERNS ABOUT WORK-RELATED HEALTH BENEFITS

In the current economic climate, non-retired Americans are more concerned about job-related health care (and other) benefits than salary, by a striking margin. When asked whether they would choose a higher paying job without health benefits or a lower salary with health coverage if they had to look for a job in the coming year, a large majority of non-retired Americans report a preference for employment that carries health benefits. A willingness to trade health benefits for salary occurs across the economic spectrum – it is equally prevalent among professional and blue collar workers, those without a high school diploma and college graduates, and members of high and low income households. Even younger people aged between 18 and 34 place greater emphasis on a job with benefits (65%) than one with a higher salary (29%).

Moreover, when Americans are asked to separately rate the importance of different job attributes, they rate health insurance, job security, and retirement benefits as more important than a high salary when they think about taking a new job. The differences are stark; almost 75% of non-retired Americans rate good health care benefits as very important compared to 37% who say the same about a high salary.

Health Benefits or High Salary?

Non-retired

Health coverage & lower salary

71%

Higher salary & no health coverage

24%

There is also considerable anxiety among those covered by employer-provided health insurance that benefits will be cut back or dropped altogether in the coming year. Of those covered by an employer-provided health scheme, almost a half worry that their benefits will be scaled back in the coming year and this concern is more pronounced among women (56%) than men (44%), and among high school (58%) than college graduates (40%). In addition, just under 30% of all those covered by an employer-provided health scheme worry that they will lose benefits entirely in the coming year.

Covered by Employer Health Plan and Worried About Following in Coming Year

Health benefits will be cut back 

50%

Lose health coverage 

29%

Anxiety about losing health insurance coverage is compounded for many Americans by the additional fear that they would not be able to afford to purchase private health insurance coverage. A full half of all individuals said they could not afford to purchase health insurance on their own and this response was much more common among women than men and those living in lower than higher income households. 

Could Afford Private Insurance if Lost Coverage?

Currently Has Employer-Provided Insurance 

Yes, could afford

46%

No, could not 

50%

Despite concerns about their future health coverage, American workers are generally satisfied with their current level of health coverage and other benefits. Employed Americans report considerable satisfaction with job security in their present position, followed by health care benefits, salary, and retirement benefits. And when asked to choose between a pay increase or improved health benefits in the coming year, roughly 60% preferred to receive a pay increase over better health benefits (36%). Workers who lack health insurance and older workers (aged 50 and up) were more evenly divided over the choice between improved medical coverage and  a salary increase.
 

STRESS, HEALTH, AND PAID VACATION TIME

Over 40% of Americans believe that increased paid vacation time would improve Americans’ health. This perception is equally common among current workers and those out of the work force and is especially pronounced among people aged 49 and younger. By and large, very few Americans see negative economic consequences to increased paid vacation time. In fact, just under 50% believe it would have no impact on the US economy and almost a third actually think it would help.
 

Impact of Increased Paid Vacation Time

Total Respondents

Improve Americans’ health 

42%

Worsen US economy 

12%

The perception that longer vacations would improve Americans’ health is coupled with widespread work-related stress. Among those currently in the workforce, roughly 30% report a great deal of stress in their job, and reported stress levels are at their highest among workers living in low income households and in rural areas.

Amount of Stress in Current Job

Employed

A great deal 

31%

Some 

43%

A little/none

26%

Just under a third of all Americans report feeling more relaxed during summer than at other times of the year. North-easterners are more likely to experience this heightened sense of relaxation over summer than Americans living in other regions of the US. College graduates and those living in higher income households are also more relaxed over summer than Americans who lack a college degree or live in lower income households. 

More or Less Relaxed During Summer

Total

North-East

Outside NE

More relaxed

31%

41%

29%

Less relaxed

10%

7%

11%

No difference

57%

51%

58%

Methodology

The poll was conducted between July 22 and August 12 by the Stony Brook University Center for Survey Research. 865 adults were interviewed from across the nation. The poll is based on an RDD nationally representative sample of telephone numbers drawn from blocks with at least one-listed residential number. Up to 7 contact attempts were made at each selected household and individuals were selected at random within households. Findings are weighted using post-stratification weights for age, gender and census region in accordance with 2002 national Census statistics. The margin of error is plus/minus 3.3 percentage points for the entire sample and is slightly higher for the non-retired (3.9) and those currently employed (4.4).

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY HEALTH PULSE OF AMERICA

July 22-August 12, 2003

Q12. If you had to look for a job in the coming year and were forced to choose, would you prefer a job with HEALTH COVERAGE and LOWER salary, or a HIGHER paying job that LACKED any health benefits?

Q13. When you think about taking a new job, how important is a HIGH SALARY?

Q14. When you think about taking a new job, how important are GOOD HEALTH CARE BENEFITS?

Q15. When you think about taking a new job, how important are GOOD RETIREMENT BENEFITS?

Q16. When you think about taking a new job, how important is JOB SECURITY?

* Non-retired individuals include those who said they were currently employed FT, PT, self-employed, out of work for more than 1 year, out of work for less than 1 year, homemaker or FT student in response to Q11 on employment status.

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY HEALTH PULSE OF AMERICA
July 22-August 12, 2003

Q18. How much STRESS do you experience in your current job? 

Q19. Thinking about your current job, how satisfied are you with your SALARY?

Q20. Thinking about your current job, how satisfied are you with your HEALTH CARE BENEFITS?

Q21. Thinking about your current job, how satisfied are you with your RETIREMENT BENEFITS?

Q22. Thinking about your current job, how satisfied are you with your JOB SECURITY? 

Q23. If you had to choose, would you prefer a PAY INCREASE in the coming year or IMPROVED MEDICAL COVERAGE? 

Q24. Are you personally covered by a health insurance plan right now, including Medicare or Medicaid? 

Q27. Is your health insurance provided through a union, your employer, or another family member's employer, or did you purchase a private plan yourself? 

Q28. How worried are you that your health benefits will be cut back in the coming year?

Q29. How worried are you about losing your health insurance coverage in the coming year?

Q30. If you lost your current health insurance coverage, could you afford to purchase health insurance on your own?

On average, Americans receive 2 weeks of paid vacation each year, which is much lower than in other western countries.

[Order of Q56 and Q57 was randomly varied]

Q56. Do you think that an increase in workers' paid vacation time would improve Americans' health overall, or would it have no effect?

Q57. Do you think that an increase in workers' paid vacation time would help or hurt the US economy, or would it have no effect?

Q58. Do you generally feel more or less relaxed over the summer than you do during other times of the year, or is there no difference?

© Copyright Center for Survey Research - Stony Brook University