Employers plan to shift more healthcare costs to workers, survey reports

Washington Post, March 11, 2010

Most big employers plan to shift a larger share of healthcare costs to their workers next year, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health, a coalition of big employers, and Towers Watson, a consulting firm that advises companies on employee benefits. Many say they may charge more to cover spouses, tighten eligibility standards for their health plans and dispense financial rewards or penalties based on the results of certain lab tests. At some companies, employees who are overweight could be excluded from the most desirable plans. In addition, employees at many companies can expect significantly higher premiums, deductibles and co-payments, according to the survey.