When I completed my service in Congress in 2014, it was evident that much more work needed to be done to fix the broken U.S. health care system. As an original author of the Affordable Care Act, my understanding of the complex undertaking, along with the May 2015 Call to Action by the American Health Policy, I welcomed the opportunity to join with forward-looking employers to catalyze a new approach to securing better health coverage for employees, retirees and their families. What some of America's largest employers found over the past nine years might surprise you. The healthier people are, the more money an employer saves. Financial savings are a byproduct of efforts that provide quality and accessible health care for all Americans.

Choosing between good health care or inexpensive health care is a false choice. Employers – the largest payers in the U.S health care system – can, in fact, improve health outcomes for its employees by focusing on high–quality care while significantly reducing the cost of care for their employees and their bottom line.

There is no doubt that health coverage and access to quality care are vitally important for the physical, mental and financial wellbeing of our population – and employees deeply understand this reality. In fact, employees are willing to quit their jobs for access to better health care benefits. According to the ERBI Greenwald Workplace Wellness Study of 1,500 employees surveyed in 2023, 83% of employees rank health coverage as extremely or very important when considering job decisions. Of the benefits available to them, 70% of employees say health insurance is the most important benefit in their decision to stay in their job or choose a new job.