5% of U.S. employers may cut dental coverage

Some 5% of U.S. employers would consider reducing dental and other "nonmedical" benefits as a result of national healthcare reform legislation, a MetLife survey found.

The MetLife Study of Employer/Consumer Attitudes on Health Care Reform surveyed 501 decision makers at companies with 10 or more employees, and 701 working-age consumers, to assess their attitudes toward potential healthcare reform legislation. The margin of error is 4.

Fewer employers -- only 1% -- thought they'd increase such benefits as life, disability, and dental insurance.

Overall, the survey found a "wait-and-see" attitude as debates over the proposed legislation continues in the U.S. Congress, said Ronald Leopold, M.D., MetLife's vice president for U.S. business. The U.S. House and Senate have both passed versions of comprehensive healthcare reform, but have not yet reconciled the two.

The survey found 36% of employees unsure what they would do with nonmedical benefits, and another 44% certain they would make no changes. The remaining 14% gave a wide variety of responses, said Karen Eldred, a spokesperson for MetLife.

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