Business healthcare costs expected to average $8,863 per person in 2009

More bad news from the Wall Street Journal. It cites a Hewitt Associates survey of 400 large employers with more than 13 million employees. Based on their findings, it expects companies’ healthcare costs will rise 6.4% in 2009, to $8,863 per person, after a 6% increase in 2008. Employees’ total share (including both premiums and out-of-pocket expenses) are projected to rise a steeper 8.9%, to $3,826. Employee premiums alone are climbing 7.8%, along with a 10.1% increase in out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copays.