E-Alert Item: New Study Finds Premiums Are Skyrocketing

A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that during the first five months of 2002, health insurance premiums for employer-sponsored plans rose by 12.7%. This represents the fastest rate of increase since 1990, when rates jumped by 14%. The study showed that employers are bearing the brunt of the recent increases, and that the average employee-paid portion of premiums has hovered at the same level for the past two years. In response to the rise in premiums, some employers are trimming benefits. And 78% of large employers reported that they expect their workers will have to pay more for health insurance in the near future.