Survey: Public employers modifying health benefits - Denver Business Journal:

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The survey, conducted by the , showedc public employers nationwide are modifying their employee health care benefits to includemore cost-savintg measures. The survey found that 72 percent of public employera are increasing or considerintg an increase intheir employees’ deductibles, coinsurancee or copays. In addition, 74 percentr of public employers are increasing or considering an increass inemployee premiums. When asked why they were considering higher 46 percent of public employers cite the financial Almost the same 45 percent, cite the crisis as the reaso n why they are thinking about highetr employee premiums.
“These findings are although cost-sharing measures have been common in the corporatw world for quitesome time, public employers have traditionally not modified their health care plans in this Sally Natchek, senior directoe of research at the foundation said in a “The fact that the majority of public employerd are now increasing copays and premiums illustrates the dual effect rising healthn care costs and the financial crisiw are having on their plans.” Other cost-saving programs that public employers are instituting include adding a consumer-driven health plan, shifting to a self-funded plan and introducinvg spousal surcharges.
Nearly three-fourths of publifc plan sponsors are placing more emphasis on controllinb prescriptiondrug costs. The majority of public employers are expanding participantt education about drug optionsand costs, increasing copayments and/oer coinsurance for drugs and mandating the use of generic drugs, the survey found.