Overview

How employers collectively purchase health plan coverage greatly influences the nature of the American health care system, from cost to quality of care. More than 148 million Americans receive health insurance through employers, and another 16 million early and Medicare retirees receive post-retirement health benefits from employers. If employers base their purchasing decisions largely on price and customer service, a different set of health plans would prevail in the marketplace than if they based purchasing decisions on measurable quality and member satisfaction.

Citation