A national survey that included New Jersey employers found the health benefits costs of large Garden State companies rose 6.6 percent in 2009, to an average of $10,522 per worker — and employers said they will try to control health care inflation in 2010 by shifting costs to employees, making changes to their plans or switching insurers.
The New Jersey results were part of Mercer’s annual survey of employer-sponsored health plans.
The New Jersey respondents estimated that if they made no changes to their current plan, costs would rise by 10.2 percent in 2010. However, they expect to lower their cost increase to 6.1 percent by making changes to plan design and switching to a new health care provider.
Nearly half, or 47 percent, said they will shift costs to their employees in 2010 by raising deductibles, co-pays or out-of-pocket maximums.
One-quarter of the New Jersey respondents said they offered a consumer-directed health plan this year that includes features such as a health savings account; 27 percent say they will offer it again in 2010.
While the survey only broke out large-employer results for New Jersey, the nationwide study included large and small employers. The national results revealed small employers are cutting health care costs by moving employees into high-deductible policies, which offer significantly lower premiums.
“Small and large employers used different strategies to keep cost growth down in 2009,” said Rich Fuerstenberg, a consultant with Mercer’s health and benefits business in Princeton. “Small employers moved employees into low-cost, consumer-directed health plans and raised deductibles.” Large employers were more likely to offer programs and policies designed to improve work force health, he said.
Nationwide, the percentage of workers enrolled in a high-deductible plan rose to 9 percent in 2009, from 7 percent last year, according to Mercer.
The survey included public and private organizations with 10 or more employees, and received 2,914 responses.
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