New Aflac Survey: Employers Not Ready for ACA
New Aflac Survey: Employers Not Ready for ACA
"Many Workers Will be Blindsided"
(Washington, D.C.) – A recently released Open Enrollment Survey of more than 2000 consumers nationwide by the insurance company, Aflac, finds that neither employers nor employees are ready for the rollout of the Affordable Care Act (also called the ACA or Obamacare), scheduled to begin state insurance exchanges on October 1st with many provisions of the law going into effect on January 1st, 2014. The survey by Aflac indicates that while many workers currently struggle to understand and cope with aspects of their current coverage, this problem will grow worse under the ACA and its new regulations. Aflac warns employers to be prepared for "a highly dissatisfied workforce" as workers try to adapt to the ramifications of the law.
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative released the following statement:
"Small businesses, job creators and employees are not really prepared to deal with the changes and challenges that the Affordable Care Act is going to bring to health care in America. Seventy percent of workers say they have not received any clear communication from employers about how the law will affect their health care. Just nine percent of employers say they are 'very prepared' to implement the law and a full sixty-nine percent of employers expect costs for their workers to go up because of it.
The President has exempted big business from the requirement that they offer insurance to their workers in 2014. But he has not exempted small businesses or consumers from mandates, regulations and higher health care costs. So it comes as no surprise that opposition to the law is increasing as fear, uncertainty and ultimately worse health care for millions of Americans looms under ACA. Congress should continue to find a better alternative to reform our broken healthcare system that protects Americans and lets the market compete for their business."
For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Judy Pino, 202-578-6424 or Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309.