In a report published jointly by The Kaiser Family Foundation and The Health Research & Educational Trust in October of 2012, organizations were asked about a number of practices and metrics related to employer provided health benefits. Participants indicated that their health insurance premiums for 2012 increased by approximately 4% nationally over 2011. More specifically, single coverage cost 3% more than in 2011 and family coverage cost 4% more. The report, 2012 Annual Employer Health Benefits Survey, notes that differences based on company size and geography have the most significant variation in the health insurance premiums reported.

A 2010 survey released by ERC reports that on average, Northeast Ohio employers’ health insurance premiums rose 15.2% in 2010.  In terms of industry differences, local non-profit organizations saw the lowest average percent increase in health insurance premium, while manufacturing organizations reported the highest average percent increase.

The survey also shows that the average percent of health insurance premium that employers plan to contribute in 2011 is 75%, and the average percent of health insurance premium that employees will be required to contribute in 2011 is 26%. Several employers have raised co-pay amounts (19%), annual deductibles (31%), and employee contributions (32%) to cope with rising costs, but many respondents (43%) have also not increased these.

Average percent of employer and employee contributions to health insurance premiums and average percent increase in premium

To download the results of ERC’s Health Care & Wellness Practices Survey, which summarizes trends in health care and wellness practices among 90 local Northeast Ohio employers, please click here.