EHealth: Many Workers On The Brink

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.