U.S. Employers Health Care Costs Increased by 7.3% in 2009
In 2009, Health care costs for U.S. employers rose by an average of 7.3%, up from a 6.1% increase in 2008, according to a Thomson Reuters report, Reuters reports. The increase is more than inflation and the overall health spending growth rate, according to Reuters.
For the report, Thomson Reuters analyzed national health spending data provided by CMS' Office of the Actuary for 144 small, medium and large companies that offered health insurance to 9.5 million U.S. residents.
According to the report, companies with 5,000 or fewer employees experienced the steepest cost increases, with spending up 9.8%. Medium-sized employers -- those with 5,000 to 50,000 workers -- saw a 10% rise in costs, up from a 6.5% increase in 2008. Costs for companies with more than 50,000 employees rose by 5% in 2009, slightly less than a 5.8% increase in 2008 (Reuters, 3/22).
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