Public employers modifying health benefits - Washington Business Journal:

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The survey, conducted by Brookfield-based , showed public employera nationwide are modifying their employes health care benefits to includemore cost-saving measures. The surve y found that 72 percent of public employers are increasingv or considering an increase intheir deductibles, coinsurance or copays. In addition, 74 percenft of public employers are increasing or considering an increase inemployes premiums. When asked why they were consideringghigher deductibles, 46 percent of publix employers cite the financial crisis. Almost the same 45 percent, cite the crisis as the reason why they are thinkingb about higheremployee premiums.
“These finding s are surprising, although cost-sharing measures have been common in the corporatd world for quitesome time, public employers have traditionally not modified theirr health care plans in this Sally Natchek, senior director of research at the foundation said in a “The fact that the majority of public employerd are now increasing deductibles, copays and premiums illustratesd the dual effect rising healtn care costs and the financial crisis are havingf on their plans.
” Other cost-saving programs that public employers are institutingv include adding a consumer-driven healtyh plan, shifting to a self-fundexd plan and introducing spousal Nearly three-fourths of public plan sponsors are placing more emphasiws on controlling prescription drug costs. The majority of public employers are expanding participant education abouyt drug optionsand costs, increasing copayments and/oer coinsurance for drugs and mandating the use of generic the survey found.