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Get Ready to Pay More for Health Coverage

Employers plan to hike premiums, copays, penalties for obese

By Jane Yager,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 11, 2010 7:16 AM CST
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(Newser) – Large companies have big plans for their employees' health plans next year: sizable premium hikes, higher deductibles and co-payments, higher charges for covering spouses, penalties for results of certain lab tests, and tighter eligibility standards that may even exclude overweight people from the most desirable health plans. That's what 507 major employers said in a recent survey about health care costs.

"The constant, unrelenting increases in health care costs are going to cost employees and their families more and more," the head of the business group behind the study told the Washington Post. But some say the companies are making empty threats, at least when it comes to passing along a higher percentage of premiums: Despite economic hard times, employees are paying only 1% more of the total premium for their coverage—21%—than they were last year.

In this photo taken Oct. 22, 2009, Constantina Guzman listens to discharge instructions from a nurse via a medical interpreting hotline at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
In this photo taken Oct. 22, 2009, Constantina Guzman listens to discharge instructions from a nurse via a medical interpreting hotline at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.   (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Dec. 10, 2009: David Brown at his advertising agency in Philadelphia. Brown has been able to offer health insurance to his seven employees, but has had to cut benefits because of rising costs.
Dec. 10, 2009: David Brown at his advertising agency in Philadelphia. Brown has been able to offer health insurance to his seven employees, but has had to cut benefits because of rising costs.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 51 comments
Cat-Lover
Mar 12, 2010 2:28 PM CST
Nationalize health-care!
cornelison
Mar 12, 2010 1:03 PM CST
Private insurance companies need to make profits. Public health care doesn't.
BackAgain
Mar 12, 2010 12:14 PM CST
And since the liberals for the most part are couch potato welfare cretin The Obamanation is shooting its own. Well except the rich liberals that can afford health club memberships. Wait how can there be a rich Democrat does that not go against the very nature of the party?

 
health care costs • health insurance • health insurance premiums • health care reform

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