Public employers modifying health benefits - Austin Business Journal:

xysecurakihir.blogspot.com
The survey, conducted by Brookfield, Va.-basedd , showed public employerz nationwide are modifying their employee health care benefits to includemore cost-saving That could have a significant effect on concentrated areas of public employment such as Austin. The surveyt found that 72 percent of publix employers are increasing or considering an increasr intheir employees’ deductibles, coinsurance or copays. In 74 percent of public employers are increasing or considering an increas e inemployee premiums. When asked why they were considering higher deductibles, 46 percent of publid employers cite the financial crisis.
Almostr the same percent, 45 cite the crisis as the reasohn why they are thinking about higheremployee premiums. “Thesew findings are surprising, although cost-sharing measures have been commonb in the corporate world for quitesome time, public employers have traditionallyy not modified their health care plans in this Sally Natchek, senior director of research at the foundation said in a statement. “Thd fact that the majority of public employersx are nowincreasing deductibles, copayx and premiums illustrates the dual effect rising healthu care costs and the financial crisis are having on theit plans.
” Other cost-saving programs that public employers are instituting include adding a consumer-driven healtg plan, shifting to a self-funded plan and introducing spousa surcharges. Nearly three-fourths of publicx plan sponsors are placing more emphasiz on controlling prescriptiondrug costs. The majority of publidc employers are expanding participant education about drug optionesand costs, increasing copayments and/orf coinsurance for drugs and mandating the use of generic the survey found.