Costs for the most popular types of health-care insurance coverage are projectedto increase by more than 10 percent each
this year.That's according to a new national survey of in-surers and administrators that Buck Consultantsreleased on Jan. 28.
In its 21st National Health Care Trend survey,Buck Consultants measured the projected aver-age annual increase in employer-provided health-care benefit costs. 'I"he study analyzed responsesfrom more than 100 health insurers and healtíi-mainteiiance organizations (HMOs). InsurersprovidiiiK mcdiccil trends for the survey cover afotiil of about 78 million people.Costs for the most popular medical plans areprojected to Increase by more tlian 10 percentand are in line with the trends reported in tlieprior two health-care trend surveys.
Tlie current survey projects the average pre-mium increase f<j r a preferred-provider organiza-tion (PR)) at U.I percent, up from 11 percent in2()tli annual survey and the same as the figure intlie li)th surveyTtie average cost increase for a point-of-service(POS) plan is projected at 10.9 percent, up from10.2 percent in last year's survey and 10.8 percentin the survey two yeai*s ago. according to Buck.The cost increases for tv^io additional plans arealso projected at more than 10 percent, but thefigures in the current survey ai'c lower than thefigures in the current survey ai'c lower than theincreases in tlie ¡jrevious two surveys.The current survey projects the average in-crease for a health-maintenance organization(HMO) at 10.3 percent in 2010, down from 11percent in the 20th annual survey and 11.1 percent in the UHh surveyFor a high-deductible, consumer-driven plantile average cost increase is projected at 10.3percent in the current survey, down from 10.4I>ercent in lasf year's survey and 10.7 percent Üieyear befoi"e.Healtli insurers also reported an average pre-scription-drug cost increase of 10.9 liercent. up0.1 percent ii'oin the 10.8 percent reported in lastyear's survey.For plans that supplement Medicare, health
insurers reported a projected increase of 5.8percent, excluding drug coverage, down from7.4 percent in last year's survey. This lower
trend reflects the impact of federal controls onMedicare fees and the lower increases expectein MediciUf detiuctibles and copayiTients. according to the survey.Headquartered in Secaucus, N.J., BucConsultants is a human resources and benefitsconsulting firm. Buck is an independent subadiary of Affiliated Computer Services. Inc. (NYSEACS). ACS provides business-process outsouring and information technology products for commerciiil and government clients.
