Premium costs, eligibility, employee contributions, Health Care Reform, and wellness programs are among the topics analyzed in the annual 2012 Employer Health Benefits Survey, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 61% of small firms (those with fewer than 200 workers) reported offering health benefits, similar to the percentage for 2011.
- 58% of firms had at least one grandfathered plan, down from 72% last year (grandfathered plans in existence as of March 23, 2010 that have not made changes which significantly reduce benefits or increase out-of-pocket spending for workers may be exempt from certain requirements under Health Care Reform).
- The percentage of workers enrolled in high deductible plans with a savings option (e.g., HSAs and HRAs) remained steady at 19%, the first year without a significant increase since 2009.
A wide range of industries is represented in the survey, including service, health care, manufacturing, retail, and finance. Survey data was collected between January and May of 2012.More details and survey results are available from the Kaiser Family Foundation.