Employer health plans are getting pricier and skimpier

[applegrove]

Bob Herman at Axios

Sep 25, 2019

Employer health plans are getting pricier and skimpier

https://www.axios.com/2019-employer-coverage-workers-premiums-deductibles-ea2cbdf3-91bd-4b4d-9611-71fd72b1140c.html

"SNIP.....


By the numbers: KFF's survey, considered to be a gold standard for data on employer-based health plans, sampled more than 2,000 different companies.

The average family plan premium in 2019 totaled $20,576. Employers paid for 71% of that cost, down slightly from 72% in 2018.

The average premium for single workers was $7,188. Employers covered 83% of that cost, up slightly from 81% in 2018.

The intrigue: Workers aren't just paying more in monthly premiums. Employers continue to raise the average deductibles, which means more workers are paying for more of their care out of pocket later into the year.

Workers' earnings rose 26% from 2009 to 2019. Deductibles soared 162% in the same time span

.....SNIP"

[guillaumeb]

1. But Medicare for All is so scary!!!

And would certainly never work here even as it works better than the US system.

[applegrove]

2. Exactly.

[Lib 4 Life]

3. i work for the state. we're switching insurers. People working 30 hrs are gonna lose their coverage

[mike_c]

4. This is end stage capitalism wringing workers out.

[applegrove]

5. GOP is enamoured with skinny plans. Almost like they don't want some people

to make it to medicare.

[smirkymonkey]

6. Tell me about it. I have a relatively good insurance plan provided by my employer, yet the

premium and the deductible keep going up every year and services that used to cost me nothing, are now sending me bills. It's outrageous.

We are fortunate to have an onsite health clinic at work and we can go there for minor ailments and labs, etc. It's a nice perk and we don't get charged a cent. It's good to have if you aren't really sure if you have something serious enough to go to a specialist for and they can write prescriptions as well.

[roamer65]

7. Let the costs go up.

It just sells people on single payor even more.