Health Care Insurance Premium Update

Workers may pay more for healthcare in 2011 as premiums rise.
American Medical News (10/11, Berry) reports, "Workers are expected to pay more for health care coverage in 2011 than in 2010 as part of the steepening rise in premiums and employees' share of the cost. Experts say that increase could keep workers from getting the care they need." The "average cost of group health insurance coverage is expected to rise 8.8% from 2010 to 2011, the highest increase since 2005, when premiums rose by about 9.2%, according to research by Hewitt Associates." Hewitt projected "that the average annual health care premium will rise from $4,083 in 2001 to $9,821 in 2011."