Americans Demand Options to Control Health Insurance Costs.

Amidst rising costs, slashed benefits, and candidates from both sides on the stump espousing healthcare and health insurance reforms, most Americans are interested in entertaining the many options that have been suggested to maintain access to affordable health insurance.

While not all Americans agree on what should be done to maintain or provide low cost health insurance for the majority of the country, according to a recent survey most agree that something needs to be done.

The study conducted online in April by Harris Interactive found that three out of four Americans support some kind of initiative to expand low-cost health insurance coverage. Of those surveyed with medical insurance half said they are concerned over rising costs, and fear that their premiums will grow beyond their ability to pay. Many also feared their employers will cut benefits.

The majority in the survey agreed that the ideas presently being debated in private, public, and political circles such as employer mandated coverage, tax incentives, tax credits, and government subsidized plans for universal affordable health coverage all had merit. These options were viewed to be worthy of equal consideration by 75% of those in the study both currently with and without employer sponsored health insurance. On the other hand only 26% of those in the survey supported increases in taxes to bolster Medicaid and otherwise provide coverage for those who cannot afford it.

Other results of the survey revealed that 74% of Americans favored the idea of mandating that businesses provide affordable medical coverage to their employees. However two-thirds also said that they realized that such mandates could be a burden on small businesses and force some of them to close their doors or lay off employees. In an almost even split, when asked if the benefits of such mandates would outweigh the potential risks to small firms, 47 % said that the benefit outweighs the risk, 53 % said they do not.

Overall the study concludes that Americans seem to be responding most to plans that provide for more affordable health insurance for more people and their families, but they do not want rely on big government or tax increases to achieve that goal.