NU Online News Service, Sept. 16, 3:44 p.m. EDT
Employer health care costs are expected to rise more than 8 percent as the impact of health care reform is assessed.
According to a recent survey from professional services company Towers Watson, the annual cost for active employees is projected to rise to an average annual cost of $10,730 in 2011.
Towers Watson said that not since the 1980s have leading employers spent so much time thinking about their health benefit plans as companies look to make sense of the potential impact from health care reform. Senior managers are taking a larger role in coming up with the best plan, Towers Watson said.
"In light of the complexities around all of the regulatory guidelines and mandates, most employers are taking the time to understand the new legal environment before make too many long-term changes to their health benefit strategy," said Randall Abbott, a senior health care consultant at Towers Watson.
Wellness of employees is recognized as an integral component of any company health plan.
"Employers today understand that one of the keys to controlling long-term health care costs is to provide employees with the tools to personalize and manage their health," said Ron Fontanetta, a Towers Watson senior health care consultant. "They are also offering incentives to encourage employees to maintain their wellbeing and access to clinical support and advice."
A large majority, 86 percent, of employers surveyed said they plan to increase efforts to encourage employees' wellbeing.
According to the survey, 57 percent of the 466 large and midsize employers that took part said compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is their top priority.
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