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EHealth: Many Workers On The Brink

by Staff Writer

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Few U.S. consumers with group health coverage have an informed opinion about whether they can afford to stay insured if they lose their jobs.

Researchers at eHealthInsurance, a unit of eHealth Inc., Mountain View, Calif., have published that finding in a summary of results of a survey of about 1,000 U.S. workers ages 18 to 64.

About 32% admitted that they would not be able to afford any health insurance if they were out of work, and 65% said they would be unable to afford coverage if they were out of work for 6 months or longer, the researchers report.

But 64% of the participants with group health coverage said they have no idea what their employers pay for health coverage, and 27% said they have no idea what share of the health coverage bill they pay.

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Other survey findings:

- 79% of the participants with group health coverage said they would rather get less vacation time than lose their health coverage.

- Only 49% of the participants said they would be willing to drop cable television to be able to afford health coverage.

- 34% of the survey participants believe they are more likely to lose their jobs in the coming year than to get a raise.