US companies shift bigger share of health care costs onto workers

[Hannah Bell]

Amid a weakening economy and growing joblessness, employers shifted more health care costs onto workers in 2010, according to a study released Thursday. The findings follow a previous report that showed big companies plan to shift even more of the burden of health care costs onto their workforces in 2011.

The study by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Education Trust (HRET) found that premiums paid by employees for employer-sponsored family coverage rose an average of 13.7 percent this year, while the company-paid portion fell—by 0.9 percent...

The burden for this somewhat modest rise, however, fell disproportionately upon workers. In 2010, of the average $224 premium increase for single coverage, employees were responsible for footing more than half the rise...

From 2000 to 2010, the combined premium for the average employer-sponsored family health care plan has more than doubled, rising from $6,438 to $13,770. But while employers—who rail against rising health care costs—increased their share of the contribution by 114 percent, workers were mandated to increase their contribution by 147 percent...

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/sep2010/care-s04.shtml

[Fumesucker]

1. One of the planned "benefits" of health insurance reform..

Mission Accomplished..

Thank you so much Barack Obama and the Democratic party, we can tell you're looking out for us. :eyes:

[ixion]

2. No doubt

on all accounts.

The Health Insurance Industry Profit Protection Act is benefiting exactly who it was set up to benefit.

Mission accomplished.

[RKP5637]

3. Yeah, he's a Fierce Advocate for the workers too I see.

:banghead:

[gophates]

4. If we had a reasonable percentage union representation

we could force this to change. But this country has been at war against unions since Ronnie the Drooling Idiot fired the air traffic controllers.

Another wonderful part of the puke legacy.

[Scuba]

5. Good thing these folks can turn to the Public Option. Oh, wait.

[Name removed]

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