The 1,242 respondents were almost evenly divided on whether the viewpoints of either John McCain or Barack Obama could positively affect the current state of rising health care costs and coverage in the United States. However, almost half of those surveyed felt that neither the Republican nor Democratic party would be effective in addressing the issue.
Recent statistics show that millions of Americans are uninsured or underinsured because of the rising costs of medical care. Forty-seven million Americans - including nine million children - lack health insurance entirely.
"Even though our survey respondents showed skepticism about the two political parties, the upcoming political conventions present a significant forum for each candidate to clarify his position on healthcare costs and coverage," said Workscape's President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Clifford. "As our survey results validate, healthcare costs remain front-and-center in the minds of both HR professionals and the employees they serve."
Clifford added: "Many progressive organizations are already taking steps to minimize the impact to their employees and their bottom line, but it's clear that the majority of those we polled are looking to the government to play a proactive role."
The purpose of the Workscape survey was to gain insight into the trends and techniques that HR professionals employ to address healthcare benefits-related activities for their employees. Respondents represented a diverse array of industries and organizations - from small employers to those with a workforce of over 10,000 - and revealed additional information regarding adoption of consumer-driven healthcare plans, health and disease management programs and other related topics.
