Employment-based health insurance costs are soaring Likely causesinclude the coming changes in health care reform and rising costs

Employment-based health insurance costs are soaring Likely causes
include the coming changes in health care reform and rising costs

By Janet Lavelle, UNION-TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 8:41 p.m.

Excerpts:

"Employment-based health insurance rates are jumping as much as 20
percent and even higher this fall, a steep increase from the single-
digit hikes typical of the last few years, brokers and others in the
industry say.

While there’s some debate over the reasons for the soaring rates, most
experts point to uncertainty over the federal health care overhaul and
higher costs for medical care and prescription drugs...

.....The response by many companies has been to shift more health care
costs to employees by picking cheaper plans with higher deductibles
and co-payments, and increasing workers’ share of premium payments,
brokers said. Some employers also are moving to plans with smaller
physician networks to save money...

....The cost drivers in health care are hospital rates, physician
costs, rising prices for prescription drugs, and diagnostic equipment
and its use,...Health care reforms due to start this month also add
“several percentage points.

One reform due to start this month — allowing parents to keep their
adult children on their policy until age 26 — will add 1.5 million
people to insurance rolls by 2013.

Insurance companies point to that change, as well as a ban on lifetime
coverage caps, as reasons for rate hikes
Add to that, the healthy looking to save money are more likely to
drop coverage, particularly if their employer boosts their premium
cost,...

....As a result, the people left being insured are less healthy... That
shifts our risk profile and accounts for some cost increases..."

http://preview.tinyurl.com/4zEvleths253a10


Heck uva job, Barry

"O'Donovan, PJ, Himself" a écrit dans le message de
groupe de discussion :
...
Employment-based health insurance costs are soaring Likely causes
include the coming changes in health care reform and rising costs

By Janet Lavelle, UNION-TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 8:41 p.m.

Excerpts:

"Employment-based health insurance rates are jumping as much as 20
percent and even higher this fall, a steep increase from the single-
digit hikes typical of the last few years, brokers and others in the
industry say.

While there’s some debate over the reasons for the soaring rates, most
experts point to uncertainty over the federal health care overhaul and
higher costs for medical care and prescription drugs...

....The response by many companies has been to shift more health care
costs to employees by picking cheaper plans with higher deductibles
and co-payments, and increasing workers’ share of premium payments,
brokers said. Some employers also are moving to plans with smaller
physician networks to save money...

...The cost drivers in health care are hospital rates, physician
costs, rising prices for prescription drugs, and diagnostic equipment
and its use,...Health care reforms due to start this month also add
“several percentage points.

One reform due to start this month — allowing parents to keep their
adult children on their policy until age 26 — will add 1.5 million
people to insurance rolls by 2013.

Insurance companies point to that change, as well as a ban on lifetime
coverage caps, as reasons for rate hikes
Add to that, the healthy looking to save money are more likely to
drop coverage, particularly if their employer boosts their premium
cost,...

...As a result, the people left being insured are less healthy... That
shifts our risk profile and accounts for some cost increases..."

http://preview.tinyurl.com/4zEvleths253a10


Heck uva job, Barry