Survey Finds Surge in Employer Benefit Insurance Costs - October 4, 2011

The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust’s annual employer health benefits survey found that premiums for employer-provided health insurance increased 9 percent for families and 8 percent for individuals in 2011. In 2010, the survey found an increase of only 3 percent for family plans. A separate analysis of the survey data estimates that 1.8 percentage points of the 9 percent increase were tied to provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On average, family plan premiums are now $15,073 per year, and coverage for single employees is $5,429. According to the survey, the cost of family coverage has doubled in the past decade, while wages have grown 34 percent in the same period. The survey also found that 2.3 million young adults have gained coverage through their parents’ policies as a result of the ACA.