Many workers say they’d give up their dream job for this one perk

NEW YORK — Would you really pass up your dream job if the perks weren’t the best? It turns out that one in three Americans would turn down that dream job if it didn’t offer good health insurance options.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults also found three-quarters (73%) consider healthcare options an important factor if they were looking for a new job, and 63% wouldn’t be afraid to ask about their options during a job interview. 

However, given the importance Americans place on healthcare, 42% believe their employer only offers them the bare minimum when it comes to health insurance. In fact, 44% believe they’d have better health options if their employer was informed of the issue.

With benefits enrollment season upon us, the study, commissioned by Tres Health and conducted by Talker Research, revealed that many find their healthcare lacking or unaffordable. Moreover, 42% said they’d even change jobs if a potential new employer were to offer better healthcare options than what they currently have. 

Forty-two percent of those who reported being employed believe their current employer doesn’t care about their health or the health of their co-workers. This was especially true for those who stated they had an income below $60,000. Overall, nearly 40% are working jobs within blue-collar industries and 72% of Americans reported having a household income of less than $60,000.

Forty-four percent of them believe their employer doesn’t care about their health, compared to the mere 36% of respondents who make over $60,000 annually.

Another major issue for respondents was affordability. When asked what the maximum amount they could afford out of pocket for an unexpected health or medical expense was, nearly half (48%) said they could only afford under $100. When asked how much they would be willing to spend extra per month for their health plan, 37% said they couldn’t afford any more than what they already pay, even if paying extra meant being offered more coverage.

The majority of Americans also said they believe their primary healthcare plan should include dental (67%), vision (64%), hospital stays (59%), better prescription drug coverage (57%), and mental and behavioral health coverage (55%). 

“Traditional health plans today cater more toward a certain working-class population, and many times, leave employees behind, especially those that work for small employers or within the blue-collar sector,” says Ari Rostowsky, Managing Partner for Tres Health, in a statement. “But it’s important to know that other alternative forms of health insurance are out there that offer employers quality options for their employees at an affordable rate.”

The study found that when selecting a healthcare plan, people tend to prioritize the amount of money they’ll pay. They look for plans that offer low/no co-pay (50%), low prescription costs (46%), low deductible costs (46%), and low premium costs (45%).

More than four in 10 (41%) admitted they’ve been in a position where they couldn’t afford a health expense, and 30% admitted to currently being in medical debt. Of those in debt, the average person owes nearly $6,000 in medical expenses.

According to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), every employer must offer employees Minimum Essential Coverage and cover at least 60% of the cost of the plan. Some employers offer Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans or Minimum Value Plans (MVPs) that cover basic services. However, it’s up to the employer how comprehensive they want these plans to be and at what cost to the employee.

Of the respondents surveyed, physician services (60%), free preventive care (44%), lab services (44%), emergency services (41%), hospital-based services (37%), and telehealth (28%) are the most valuable services to have.

“Every health plan option should offer some form of basic and preventive care at a price employees are comfortable using,” explains Mike Feeney, Managing Partner at Tres Health. “If employees don’t feel comfortable using their plan, or they don’t understand them, the state of healthcare, and the cost of it, is only going to get worse for all of us as chronic conditions and comorbidities continue to spike. Your health plan should give you peace of mind — not take it away from you.”