Even though CEOs & business leaders in the NewNorth strongly support the idea of healthcare reform, the bill passed by Congress in December was not the kind they’re looking for: Nearly 9 in 10 CEOs were opposed to the package passed by Congress; just 12 percent were in favor, according to results from the The Nicolet Bank Business Pulse study in March.

It’s the form, not the function that has raised the most ire, notes the study. While respondents were overwhelmingly opposed to the reform Congress passed, nearly two thirds (65 percent) of the CEOs/business leaders responding said it was Very Important (37 percent) or Moderately Important (28 percent) to reform the current system. Nineteen percent said reform was Somewhat Important and 14 percent thought reform was Not Important at all. Two percent checked Not Sure.

Study analysts concluded that it is safe to say, therefore, that some reform is necessary, but the debate over exactly what the parameters of those reforms is what should be the focus in Washington. The complexities of this issue, and the ever-shifting landscape of the policy debate, lend themselves to making this issue one of the most challenging to wrap anyone’s mind around.

These complexities make it difficult for many to feel that they have a firm grasp of the reforms being recommended. When asked how familiar they are with the current reform policy, surveyed CEOs and business leaders said:
• 35 percent were Very Familiar with the reform package;
• 35 percent were Moderately Familiar;
• 34 percent were Somewhat Familiar;
• 7 percent were Not Familiar

The study also showed that CEOs are generally satisfied with their own current health insurance plan, but they say their employees are slightly more satisfied than they themselves are. Among their employees, CEOs say:
u 28 percent are Very Satisifed;
u 65 percent are Moderately Satisfied;
u 7 percent are Not Too Satisfied

There were some variances when employee satisfaction was contrasted with the executives own assessment. Among the CEOs and business leaders surveyed:
• 26 percent of the CEOs are Very Satisfied with their plan;
• 51 percent are Moderately Satisfied;
• 21 percent are Not Too Satisfied;
• 1 percent are Not At All Satisfied;
• 1 percent is Not Sure

CEOs/business leaders were also asked whether they favored or opposed specific healthcare reforms that have been discussed and debated since Congress came home to their constituents last August. Here’s what the CEOs say they favor, and oppose.

Favored reforms:
• Increased availability of healthcare cost information (90 percent).
• Reform medical malpractice system to help reduce defensive medicine (87 percent).
• Make it easier to offer high deductible plans with health savings accounts (86 percent).
• Repeal laws that prevent health insurance competition across state lines (83 percent).
• Make individually purchased health insurance fully tax deductible (83 percent).
• Reform Medicare to provide for greater patient choice and responsibility (82 percent).
• Tax credits to employers with 25 or fewer employees if they provide insurance (76 percent).
• Create a national high risk pool for those with pre-existing conditions (69 percent).
• Revise federal tax forms so individuals could voluntarily contribute to people without insurance (63 percent).
• Remove caps on lifetime health care benefits (54 percent).

Opposed reforms:
• Establish a government insurer to compete with private health insurance (70 percent).
• Having employers with 50 – 200 employees pay $750 per employee if they do not provide health insurance (64 percent).
• Establish a surtax on extraordinary (i.e. Cadillac) health insurance plans (62 percent).
• Require employers with more than 200 employees to provide health insurance (57 percent).

The Nicolet Bank Business Pulse is a quarterly study of CEOs and business leaders in the NewNorth Wisconsin (Brown, Calumet, Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, and Winnebago Counties) and Menominee, Michigan. It is designed and implemented by IntellectualMarketing LLC. The survey, conducted between Feb. 22 and March 1, 2010, was completed by 182 CEOs / business leaders.