As leaders on both sides of the political spectrum have begun to oppose the Affordable Care Act's Cadillac tax that will go into effect in 2018, the American public appears to dislike the provision as well.
Sixty percent of Americans hold unfavorable views of the tax, accoriding to a new health tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
As Vox points out, it's easier to persuade the public opinion against the tax than it is for people to favor it. So, KFF told respondents negative facts to see if their opinion changed.
When those who initially opposed the tax were told it could help lower healthcare costs, 27 percent changed their minds, which changed the overall support of the provision to 55 percent.
Yet when those who initially favored the tax were told it would cause employees to pay more out-of-pocket costs for health benefits, 15 percent switched their outlook, which changed the overall opposition to three quarters of the public.
As lawmakers work to repeal the tax--and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton announcing her opposition of the provision--there are ways employers can ultimately adjust to the law should it take effect as planned.
For instance, employers may end up encouraging employees to get even healthier starting in 2016, reports the Associated Press. A survey by Mercer recently found that 42 percent of employers were considering expanding wellness programs specifically to avoid the tax. Additionally, some companies also force employees to pay more by assessing penalties to workers who do not comply with wellness program requirements, FierceHealthPayer previously reported.
If a repeal doesn't happen, many politicians may still push for reform and to lessen the tax. "Even if it doesn't get repealed, at least there's a really strong voice for some major changes to how it's calculated," Tracy Watts, a senior partner with Mercer, tells the AP.
For more:
- here's the KFF poll
- read the Vox article
- check out the AP story