Labor & Employment Law

Benefits Plan Planning for 2009 - FREE Comprehensive Resources

Soon, if not already, employers are beginning to review their benefits plans for next year. The survey that I have relied on the most is the Kaiser Family Foundation's Annual Employer Health Plan Survey.

This annual survey provides a look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing provisions, and other relevant information. The 2008 survey included 2,832 randomly selected public and private firms with three or more employees (1,927 of which responded to the full survey and 905 of which responded to an additional question about offering coverage). Researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation, the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, and Health Research & Educational Trust designed and analyzed the survey.

The following are some of the topics covered in the 192 page report:

• Cost of Health Insurance
• Health Benefits Offer Rates
• Employee Coverage, Eligibility, and Participation
• Types of Plans Offered
• Market Shares of Health Plans
• Worker and Employer Contributions for Premiums
• Employee Cost Sharing
• High-Deductible Health Plans with Savings Option
• Prescription Drug and Mental Health Benefits
• Plan Funding
• Retiree Health Benefits
• Wellness Programs and Employer Opinions

Oh, and did I mention?  It's FREE! Follow this link:

Kaiser Family Foundation 2008 Annual Employer Health Benefit Survey

Full post as published by Strategic HR Lawyer on July 20, 2009 (boomark / email).