Speculation about "job-locked" employees who stay on the job only for insurance benefits has been mostly anecdotal — until now.

Four in 10 employees would leave their jobs if they could purchase health insurance on the open market that is comparable to their existing coverage and out-of-pocket expenses, according to a survey by the Securian Financial Group. The company spoke with 767 employed Americans in April. Ninety-four percent of respondents worked full time, and the others worked part time.

The results align with a Congressional Budget Office estimate that, because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, employees may "choose to supply less labor" — equal to two million jobs — between 2017 and 2024.

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