By wide margins — and regardless of personal political affiliation — those who design and administer employer health plans are concerned with both Presidential candidates’ health care proposals, saying that Senator John McCain’s proposal to repeal the tax exclusion for employer-provided health coverage and Senator Barack Obama's proposal to compel employers to "pay or play" would have strong negative impacts on American workers, according to the American Benefits Council.

Based on a survey of corporate health care executives at large and small organizations, 74 percent said that a repeal of the employee tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health coverage (a McCain proposal) would have a strong negative impact on their workforce; 46 percent said requiring employers to "pay or play" (an Obama proposal) would have a strong negative effect on their workforce; 58 percent said they would like to see the candidates focus more on cost issues, and 74 percent would like more focus on quality.