Rise in employer healthcare costs slowing: survey

[TomCADem]

Source: Reuters

Medical costs for U.S. employers will rise by 9 percent in 2011, slightly less than they have risen this year, according to a survey released on Monday.

To try to control the impact, employers are turning to wellness programs but also making workers shoulder more of the costs of healthcare, the survey from consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP found.

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"Health reform delivers only a minor impact on the underlying medical cost trends in 2011 and introduces hundreds of changes in the healthcare system designed to reduce costs and improve efficiencies in the long-term," said Kelly Barnes, U.S. health industries leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"These changes could bring significant new cost savings opportunities for employers and payers as well as new choices and transparency for workers buying insurance," Barnes added in a statement.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65D4OZ20100614

[defendandprotect]

1. K&R

[dencol]

2. That happens when higher premiums are passed on to workers.

And the higher deductibles, combined with lower pay price many people out of the market all together.

[SocialistLez]

3. Less employees? NT

[grahamhgreen]

4. What a BS metric - ONLY rise 9 percent - more than anyones salary...!