European Health insurance benefits could be cut

According to a recent report by business consultant Mercer, health insurance benefits for employees could be cut by employers hard hit by the economic crisis. The report indicates that healthcare could suffer due to excessive cost.

Health insurance, alongside a pension, is considered as one of the most important types of employee benefit. A Mercer spokesperson was reported as commenting: Over two-thirds of respondents said they would struggle to retain top-performing employees if they did not offer good health benefits . These programmes are particularly valued as a staff attraction tool by companies in emerging Eastern European countries, where migration to Western economies has produced a scarcity of talent.

He reportedly continued: There is also evidence that health benefits often rank as the most highly valued company benefit in those countries where health provision is relatively poor.