Employers Raise Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Employee Health Plans

With the open enrollment period for health insurance beginning and employee wages remaining static, many employers are hesitant to significantly increase health care premiums and instead are opting to increase the amount employees pay for out-of-pocket items such as deductibles and copayments, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to a recent report by Hewitt Associates, out-of-pocket health care costs are expected to increase by 10.1% from 2008 to 2009 to an average of $1,880, compared with a 7.8% premium increase. Premium increases have grown by 10% or more in recent years, according to the Journal. A recent employer survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust found that 41% of those offering health benefits said they were very or somewhat likely to increase workers' drug... [read full story]