Group health plans: employees expected to contribute more

The September 2009 Kaiser HRET survey of group healthcare has revealed that employers expect employees to contribute more to their group health coverage.

• When asked about their plans for 2010, 21 percent of firms that currently provide group health coverage in Georgia and nationally say they are "very likely" to raise workers’ health insurance premium contribution next year, and 16 percent say they are "very likely" to raise deductibles. 
• Just 4 percent say they are "very likely" to restrict eligibility for coverage, and 2 percent say they are "very likely" to drop group health coverage altogether.

"As in the past, we’re seeing many businesses struggling with ways to curb their group health care costs, including offering high-deductible plans for workers, though relatively few expect to drop group health benefits altogether," said Kaiser Vice President Gary Claxton

Gary is the lead author of the study and director of the Foundation’s marketplace research.