| ||||||
California Kids Lose Employment-Based Coverage |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
From Economic Policy Institute: Children throughout the country have worsening access to employment-based coverage over the last few years. Losses in employer-provided health insurance among kids have serious consequences for the children themselves, families, communities, businesses, and the public insurance system. These facts alone make the case for the need for public intervention to fill in the gaps for children higher up the income scale. It also underscores the fact that employers are not dropping coverage in response to public coverage expansions. In other cases, when eligible, a child may take up public coverage, giving them important access to health care when the employment-based system left them behind. These firms have a greater ability to attract and keep the best workers by offering generous family health benefits. An offer of affordable, high-quality family coverage can reduce absenteeism and turnover, leading to higher productivity. According to a survey of employees, employer-provided insurance was by far the most important factor in a worker's decision to stay in a job (Duchon et al. 2000). This benefit is even more valuable for families and families with sick children who have an especially hard time securing adequate coverage in the private market. Because of workers preferences, employers may find it more profitable to offer a compensation package composed of both wages and health insurance than providing wages alone (O'Brien 2003).
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
