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Employees Are Paying More - Much More - for Health Care
The Fiscal Times ^ | November 12, 2015 | Beth Braverman

Posted on 11/13/2015 1:10:08 PM PST by ForYourChildren

While wages have been stagnant over the past decade, the amount that workers pay for employer-sponsored health insurance has more than doubled.

Average employees at mid-size and large companies paid $2,490 toward their premiums and $2,208 in out-of-pocket costs (including copayments and deductibles) last year, for a total cost of about $4,700, according to a new report from Aon. The data in the report combines both individual and family plans.

In 2005, those employees' total healthcare costs were just $2,001. That translates to a 134 percent increase in employee's share of health care costs in 10 years.

The rate of increase has declined in recent years. Last year the employee share of healthcare costs increased 3.2 percent, the lowest rate in 20 years. Aon projects that costs will increase 4.1 percent next year, which would mean workers would pay almost $4,900 for medical coverage and services.

"As prescription drug costs continue to grow at a double-digit pace and the economy picks up speed, it's likely these premium rates will start to climb," Mike Morrow, senior vice president of Aon Health, said in a statement.

In addition to the rising price of treatment, the increased worker expense reflects a trend of employers shifting their costs onto their employees. The amount of total health care costs covered by employers has decreased 1 percent per year over the past three years. Nearly half of employers plan to increase participants' out-of-pocket costs in the near future and another 38 percent have already done so.

This shift has led to the rise of high-deductible health plans, with 16 percent of companies offering these as the only option for employees, and another 41 percent planning to make it the only option in the next three to five years.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: healthcare; obamacare

1 posted on 11/13/2015 1:10:08 PM PST by ForYourChildren
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To: ForYourChildren

Obamacare, aint it wonderful.

“While wages have been stagnant over the past decade..”

Wages went down since Obama took office from about $58k to $53k per year.


2 posted on 11/13/2015 1:10:58 PM PST by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - Classical Christian Approach to Homeschool ])
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To: ForYourChildren

Dims never count negative numbers they are always up or staying the same.


3 posted on 11/13/2015 1:13:26 PM PST by Resolute Conservative
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To: ForYourChildren

Premium for 2 - $8500
Deductible - $3000
Co-Pay - up to $3000

ttl = $14500


4 posted on 11/13/2015 1:20:57 PM PST by G Larry (ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS impose SLAVE WAGES on LEGAL Immigrants.)
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To: G Larry

“We’ll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year..... We’ll do it by the end of my first term as president of the United States” - Obama


5 posted on 11/13/2015 1:25:35 PM PST by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - Classical Christian Approach to Homeschool ])
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To: G Larry
Meanwhile


6 posted on 11/13/2015 1:28:10 PM PST by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - Classical Christian Approach to Homeschool ])
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To: ForYourChildren

This particular issue has nothing to do with Obamacare. Medical insurance prices have steadily risen since the advent of HMOs.

Until we get rid of medical insurance companies, we will continue to be fleeced.


7 posted on 11/13/2015 3:33:20 PM PST by sakic
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To: sakic
This particular issue has nothing to do with Obamacare.

Um, no.

8 posted on 11/13/2015 4:02:21 PM PST by VeniVidiVici (Obama = ISIS Fanboy)
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To: VeniVidiVici

Um, then why have medical insurance costs been rising for many years before Obamacare?

Um.

Obamacare is a weak attempt to fix a long broken system.

Um.


9 posted on 11/13/2015 6:03:55 PM PST by sakic
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To: sakic

My company paid for the increases many years. Then Obamacare came along and now companies are pouring more and more of the costs onto their employees to accomodate the laws requirements.

Ummmmm. Next.


10 posted on 11/13/2015 6:37:54 PM PST by VeniVidiVici (Obama = ISIS Fanboy)
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To: sakic

Oh I get it. You’re a single payer freak.


11 posted on 11/13/2015 6:38:32 PM PST by VeniVidiVici (Obama = ISIS Fanboy)
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To: VeniVidiVici

No.

I’m the guy telling the truth about the cost of medical care since HMOs came into being.

If you don’t believe the costs of insurance have gone up for the average American since HMOs came into being, you’re just wrong.

Then add in, that our quality of care has suffered greatly over that same time frame.


12 posted on 11/13/2015 7:28:14 PM PST by sakic
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