Employers experienced an increase in health benefits costs for employees in 2011, as the average total health benefit cost per employee was up 6.1 percent to a total cost of $10,146 per employee, but the growth was down from 6.9 percent last year, according to Mercer's National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans.
The survey, which collected data on 2,844 public and private organizations with 10 or more employees, also found that 47 percent of employers plan to shift costs in 2012 by raising deductibles or increasing employees' shares of premiums.
This year's survey also saw the biggest increase in high-deductible health plans offered by larger organizations. Roughly 32 percent of employers with 500 or more employees offer a high-deductible health plan, up from 23 percent in 2010. Employers with 10,000 or more employees (47 percent) were the most likely to offer high-deductible health plans.
Employers indicated the biggest appeal of high-deductible health plans was the cheaper costs of coverage, according to the release. A high-deductible health plan with a health savings account is roughly $7,787 per employee compared with $9,385 for the average cost of PPO coverage — a 20 percent difference.
The survey, which collected data on 2,844 public and private organizations with 10 or more employees, also found that 47 percent of employers plan to shift costs in 2012 by raising deductibles or increasing employees' shares of premiums.
This year's survey also saw the biggest increase in high-deductible health plans offered by larger organizations. Roughly 32 percent of employers with 500 or more employees offer a high-deductible health plan, up from 23 percent in 2010. Employers with 10,000 or more employees (47 percent) were the most likely to offer high-deductible health plans.
Employers indicated the biggest appeal of high-deductible health plans was the cheaper costs of coverage, according to the release. A high-deductible health plan with a health savings account is roughly $7,787 per employee compared with $9,385 for the average cost of PPO coverage — a 20 percent difference.
Related Articles on Employer-Based Health Plans:
Gallup: Employer-Based Health Insurance Continues to Decline
CMS: Satisfaction Rates for Medicaid, CHIP Higher Than Employer Coverage
Federal Government to Design Basic Benefits Package for Health Exchanges