Looking for ways to combat the rapidly rising cost of healthcare coverage? You may want to employ some of the cost-cutters your peers are turning to.
Here are some the moves employers are considering to control their health costs, based on the findings in the 2012 Employer Survey on Purchasing Value in Health Care by Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health:
- 40% plan on developing a culture where employees are more accountable for their health
- 25% will review their mix of benefits
- 13% plan to add a spousal surcharge (24% already use it), and
- 11% plan to offer a consumer-driven health plan next year.
The study also found that employees’ share of the cost burden continues to rise. From 2011 to 2012, workers’ portion of their companies’ health costs increased 9.3%. And over the past five years, employees have seen a 40% increase in costs.