Employers Say They Are Most Likely to Bear High Cost of Health Benefits
Two-thirds (67%) of employers that provided health benefits said their high cost was the most important effect on their business or workforce over the past year. Within this high cost category, many employers specified where the high cost burden of providing health benefits fell. Almost one-fourth (23%) cited employer burden, such as lost profits or strain on budgets. Another 19 percent said employees took on the burden of high health insurance costs, such as higher deductible plans, higher co-pays, or discontinued coverage. Some of these employers (9%) mentioned shared cost burden between the business and employees.