‘ | Fewer Benefit From Employer-Paid Coverage by Patricia Q. Schoeni (NAPSA)—With health insur- ance costs rising at several times the rate of wage increases, many middle-income Americans are becoming anxious about losing their health coverage—particu- larly when it’s paid for by an employer. In 2000, 70 percent of employers offered such benefits. Today, only 60 percent of firms offer health benefits. This decline in coverage is being driven by high and rising health insurance costs. The average annual total premium for employer-based family coverage in 2007 was $12,100, and workers on average paid nearly $3,300 out of their paychecks to cover their share of a family policy. Families are also incurring significant out-of-pocket medical expenses, including co-pays and deductibles, that add up, on aver- Annual Family Out-of-Pocket Costs for Health Coverage and Medical Care $10,000 $8,500 $8,000 a $6,000 $5,800 4 400 $4,000 $3.800 y $2,000 : 2003 =2005 a 2007 2012 (est.) Source: Kaiser Family Foundation and Milliman Medical Index Out-of-pocket costs for health coverage and medical care have risen and manybelieve they will continueto rise. age, to another $2,500 a year. With health insurance costs rising at several times the rate of wage increases, a large percent- rity has become a problem faced by all Americans,” asserted Dr. Henry Simmons, president of the National Coalition on Health Care. “Among all of the world’s are becoming anxious about losing icans fear financial ruin dueto the age of middle-income Americans their health coverage. Over 3.5 million people were added to the ranks of the uninsured during 2005 and 2006—and the newly uninsured were mostly full-time workers. Some say that workers who take employer-offered coverage will have to cut back on other necessities, such as food and hous- ing, in order to afford health insurance. “Candidates for elected office need to pay special attention that as health insurance costs have skyrocketed and the share of Americans with stable health coverage has eroded, health insecu- industrialized nations, only Amer- lack of health insurance coverage. We need national comprehensive health reforms to insure thatall Americans have affordable health insurance coverage that can’t be taken away,” he added. For more information about the impact of rising health insurance costs on workers and families, visit www.nchc.org or call (202) 638-7151. Patricia Q. Schoeni is Executive Director of the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC). NCHCis the nation’s largest, most broadly based, nonpartisan alliance working for comprehensive health care reform.
