Lindsay Olson

Gen Y Healthcare Expectations

How important is employer-sponsored health insurance to you?

In January 2009, the National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that employers planned to hire 22% fewer college grads this year. Bad news for eager and optimistic college grads. That news prompted EHealthInsurance to conduct their recent survey of college students about their job expectations after graduation and to see if they know how and where to get it if they find their employment options more limited than expected. You can see the results of the study here .

The poll found that a majority of the students would prefer to shop for their own health insurance to take with them no matter where they work than participate in an employer-sponsored health plan. While I'm still a bit unclear on whether these students expectation is that their employer gives them a stipend to buy their own insurance or if they would just prefer other perks or higher salary, I found it very interesting.

According to the study:

• 63% of students prefer health insurance portability. These new grads would prefer to find a health insurance plan on their own and keep it regardless of where they work.
• 37% would prefer to change health insurance plans every time they change jobs.

When I entered the workforce as an employee, I never thought about buying my own health insurance plan. If I were to work full-time for a company and an insurance plan were offered, I would have participatee in the employer plan. It wasn't until I became self-employed did I really start considering my health insurance options.

At the same time, 85% of these college students are counting on their future employers to provide them with health insurance, but 68% of them would rather take a job they liked without

healthcare benefits than  accept a position they didn't like with a great healthcare package.

What do you see employer's doing now to accommodate the expectations of the future workforce?

Links:

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/collegesurvey