Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Employers continue health cost shift to workers

Annual premiums for family coverage under employer-sponsored health plans rose an average of 3 percent this year, slightly less than last year's 4 percent increase, continuing a slowdown in rate increases over the last 15 years, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research and Educational Trust 2016 Employer Health Benefits Survey.

One driver of the slowdown in rate increases is the shift of workers into high-deductible plans, which have lower premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs for employees. This year, 29 percent of all workers are in high-deductible plans, up from 17 percent five years ago, the survey said.

"I think it's the biggest change in American health care that we are not really debating," Kaiser chief executive Drew Altman said.