Survey: Colorado employers project health plan increases

Colorado businesses project increases of 8 percent on their health plans next year, down from a 10.9-percent last year, according to an annual survey of employers done by Lockton Mountain West Benefit Group.

However, 79 percent of surveyed employers expect employees to pay some, if not all, of the percentage cost increase, according to the survey released Wednesday by Lockton in Denver. The benefits brokerage sent the 14^th annual survey to 602 Colorado employers selected based on size, industry and visibility in the community.

The survey was designed to examine a representative sample of employers, though it’s not scientific.

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After increases in employee contributions, Colorado employers reported that their average increase will amount to 5.3 percent for next year, down from 6.4 percent this year. To achieve this level of cost reduction, employers reported increasing employee premiums, increasing deductibles, raising employee out-of-pocket expense limits and changing insurance carriers.

Though 79 percent of employers planned to pass a percentage of premium increases to their employees next year, that figure fell from 86 percent this year.

Health care reform remained a top concern among employers. More than 60 percent of employers indicated that they were concerned about the Affordable Care Act’s effect on their businesses, down from 75 percent in the last survey.

More than half of Colorado employers reported they were only somewhat familiar with the concept of health care exchanges, but more than 92 percent said they intended to continue employer-based coverage next year instead of sending their employees to the state health care exchange.