Employee Health Insurance Costs Barely Increased This Year

[whell]

Originally Posted by JBS...

When do the 2015 rates come out?

Oh btw, "Since 2009, the average deductible has risen 47 percent"

That, of course, is the key to the entire article. The Kaiser foundation study is only looking at premium costs for plans purchased, not premium costs for LIKE PLANS year over year. So, what's really happening here is that the plans that are being purchased are "less rich" year over year, which is the key reason that the spend on premium is rising at a lower rate. Its rising at a lower rate because last year the plan had a $1000 deductible, and this year the employers/employees couldn't afford that, so they opted for the $1500 deductible plan instead. So the employer / employees had a 3 or 4% renewal versus a 10 -12% renewal.

So, to those of you crowing and preening about the wonders of Obamacare and rolling out the predictable "blame Rupbs" mantra, suggest you take a closer look at the facts. For instance:



And:



Changing plan designs to include more cost sharing with employees has become one of the key - and in some cases only - tool to help employers control the rise in health care premiums, and to continue to offer plans that the employer can afford to offer, and that employees can afford to buy.