National Health Benefits Survey Shows Mixed Results
The annual survey of employers by the Kaiser Family Foundation provides a detailed overview of trends in employer-sponsored health coverage through insurance providers like Blue Cross of California and Covered California, such as premiums, employee contributions, and cost-sharing provisions. This review included nearly 3,000 interviews with private and non-federal public firms. The survey was conducted from January through May of 2013.
The Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) 2013 Employer Health Benefits Survey showed that annual premiums rose 4 percent for employer-sponsored family healthcare coverage in the previous year, with the average price tag rising to $16,351. Employees paid an average of $4,565 towards their own coverage. Premium contributions and cost-sharing requirements did not change much between 2012 and 2013 for covered workers, but the percentage of covered workers enrolled in a plan with a general annual deductible increased in 2013 to 78 percent of covered workers. The survey revealed 58 percent of covered workers at small firms with 3 to 199 employees have deductibles of $1,000 or more.
The Kaiser survey shows 77 percent of firms that provide health benefits also offer at least one wellness and health promotion programs. According to the survey, 24 percent of employers offer employees health risk assessments, and a majority of companies offer at least one disease management program. A handful of companies offer financial incentives to encourage participation in one of these wellness programs.
The survey also showed a modest increase in 2013 of 5 percent for single coverage and 4 percent for family coverage, as compared to 2012. During this time, worker wages increased an average of only 1.8 percent, with an inflation increase of 1.1 percent. The Kaiser survey reveals average premiums for high-deductible health plans with a savings option are lower than the overall average for all plan types for single and family coverage.