Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Employers looking for alternatives as insurance costs continue to escalate
[Ceci Connolly, "Higher Costs, Less Care," The Washington Post, 28 September 2004.]
A new report indicates no relief in sight for rising insurance premiums:
From 2001 to 2004, the proportion of workers receiving health coverage through an employer fell from 65 percent to 61 percent, according to the latest Kaiser data. That decline translated into 5 million fewer jobs providing health benefits, with the sharpest drop in small businesses.
The impact on businesses cuts across the board, however, according to a survey of 900 businesses by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. The report projects a 9.6 percent increase in health care spending per employee in 2005.
"For many employers, an increase of this magnitude -- four times the rate of general inflation -- is painful to consider," said Mercer spokesman Blaine Bos. "And some just aren't going to sit still for it."
Consumer-driven health care options such as health savings accounts may provide an answer for employers seemingly faced with an all or nothing situation. If you have not already registered, consider joining us tomorrow in Wichita or Thursday in Kansas City to find out more about these tools. For more information, visit our homepage at: http://www.flinthills.org.
Kansas Health will be on a short hiatus during the events, but new entries will be posted next week.
[Greg Scandlen, "Choice is revolutionizing health care," The Wichita Eagle, 28 September 2004.
Matthew Hisrich, "HSAs are increasing Americans' health coverage," The Topeka Capital-Journal, 26 September 2004.]
[Ceci Connolly, "Higher Costs, Less Care," The Washington Post, 28 September 2004.]
A new report indicates no relief in sight for rising insurance premiums:
From 2001 to 2004, the proportion of workers receiving health coverage through an employer fell from 65 percent to 61 percent, according to the latest Kaiser data. That decline translated into 5 million fewer jobs providing health benefits, with the sharpest drop in small businesses.
The impact on businesses cuts across the board, however, according to a survey of 900 businesses by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. The report projects a 9.6 percent increase in health care spending per employee in 2005.
"For many employers, an increase of this magnitude -- four times the rate of general inflation -- is painful to consider," said Mercer spokesman Blaine Bos. "And some just aren't going to sit still for it."
Consumer-driven health care options such as health savings accounts may provide an answer for employers seemingly faced with an all or nothing situation. If you have not already registered, consider joining us tomorrow in Wichita or Thursday in Kansas City to find out more about these tools. For more information, visit our homepage at: http://www.flinthills.org.
Kansas Health will be on a short hiatus during the events, but new entries will be posted next week.
[Greg Scandlen, "Choice is revolutionizing health care," The Wichita Eagle, 28 September 2004.
Matthew Hisrich, "HSAs are increasing Americans' health coverage," The Topeka Capital-Journal, 26 September 2004.]
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