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 Health Care / LaborAccess to Affordable Health CareIssueA major concern of the engineering industry is the rising cost of quality health insurance. Average premiums for family coverage have increased by 131 percent since 1999, and these sky-rocketing costs are forcing more employers to scale back coverage or ask employees and their families to help pick up the costs. 98 percent of America’s engineering firms currently offer health insurance to their employees, but they cite the rising cost of insurance as the primary obstacle to continuing to offer benefits to their employees. ACEC supports efforts to reduce health care costs so that A/E firms can continue to provide insurance for their employees. ACEC is concerned that the sweeping health care reform legislation approved by Congress in 2010 focuses on coverage and does not adequately address costs. The legislation relies on mandates and increased taxes, and limits flexibility. For example, firms with more than 50 employees could face fines if their health insurance does not meet certain standards. In addition, the legislation contains significant new tax increases that will increase costs for employers. Moreover, the small business tax credits included in the legislation are only temporary and may not be available to many A/E firms because of restrictions on average wages. ACEC encouraged Congress to include provisions in the legislation that would lower insurance costs. For example, changes to our medical malpractice liability system would bring down the cost of malpractice insurance and would reduce the practice of defensive medicine and its associated costs. In addition, allowing businesses to combine their collective buying power through trade associations like ACEC and purchase health insurance products across states lines would increase competition and lower costs.
ACEC Position
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