CIAB Survey Says Health Rates Going Up

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, May 30, 1:36 p.m. EDT?Group medical program insurance customers, hit by six months of double-digit increases, are reacting by raising deductibles and co-pays, according to a study by a brokers group.

The findings were part of a survey released by the Washington, D.C.-based Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers during its Employee Benefits Leadership Forum in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., held this week.

The survey asked 99 of the country's largest insurance brokers about the status of Group Medical and Group Life programs among their clients over the last six months.

The results, broken down by account size, found that 85 percent of small accounts, with 50 employees or less, saw increases ranging between 10 to 30 percent. Of this group, 49 percent saw increases between 10 and 20 percent, while 36 percent saw increases in the range of 20 to 30 percent.

For medium-size accounts, with a work force numbering between 51 to 500 employees, 79 percent said they saw double-digit increases up to 30 percent. Broken down further, 57 percent saw increases between 10 and 20 percent, while 22 percent reported increases ranging between 20 to 30 percent.

Large accounts, with more than 500 employees, seemed to fare the best on increases, with 57 percent seeing the double-digit increases. Ten percent of these accounts saw increases of less than 10 percent, while only 7 percent were hit with increases ranging between 20 to 30 percent. The majority, 50 percent, were impacted by increases ranging between 10 to 20 percent.

The Council said the survey found that in order to combat these increases, the brokers' clients are taking on higher deductibles, increasing co-pays, taking on higher co-insurance limits, and using tiered coverage plans for both medical and prescription drug costs.

CIAB said according to the survey that three-fourths of the brokers said that half of their clients are turning to higher deductibles, while six in ten brokers said increased employee contributions and higher prescription co-pays were being used to control costs.

Forty percent of the brokers said higher up-front hospital and outpatient co-pays were being used.

On the group life side, brokers said that most accounts saw no change in rates or less than double-digit increases.

Of small accounts, 44 percent saw no change in rates, while 32 percent saw increases ranging between one and 10 percent. Forty-five percent of medium accounts saw no increase, while 29 percent saw increases of less than 10 percent.

Fourteen percent of large accounts reported increases ranging between 10 to 20 percent, while 38 percent saw no increase and 18 percent saw increases between one to 10 percent.

"There was considerable speculation that group life insurance costs would increase dramatically after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, but according to our members, that has not occurred," said Ken A. Crerar, president of CIAB, in a statement.

Mr. Crerar said the "dramatic increase in medical costs is translating to big hikes in health care premiums for employers in all sections of the country, regardless of the size of their business."

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CIAB Survey Says Health Rates Going Up

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