Healthcare costs to increase 7% for large employers

Large employers expect their health insurance costs will increase 7 percent next year, according to a survey conducted by the National Business Group on Health. "Rising health care costs continue to plague employers at an alarming rate," said Helen Darling, the association’s president and CEO. "Although cost increases have stabilized somewhat, they are still on a higher base from last year and are simply not sustainable, especially when our nation's economy and workers' wages are virtually flat and everybody is struggling." Instead of fixing this cost problem, healthcare reform likely will make it worse, Darling said. That’s because of the mandated benefits required by the law and its administrative requirements, she said.