The annual Employer Health Benefits survey, released September 15 by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and the Health Research and Education Trust, found that the average cost of employer-sponsored health insurance for a family has increased 5 percent from 2008 to 2009 and 131 percent since 1999 to $13,375 annually.  The survey also found that the average deductible for an individual in a preferred provider organization (PPO) plan rose from $560 last year to $634 this year and that twice as many workers (40 percent) in companies with fewer than 200 employees had deductibles at or over $1,000 in 2009 than did in 2007.

From the report:

As in past years, Kaiser/HRET asked each participating firm as many as 400 questions about its largest health maintenance organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO), point-of-service (POS) plan, and high-deductible health plan with a savings option (HDHP/SO). In 2006, Kaiser/HRET began asking employers if they had a health plan that was an exclusive provider organization (EPO). We treat EPOs and HMOs together as one plan type and report the information under the banner of “HMO”; if an employer sponsors both an HMO and an EPO, they are asked about the attributes of the plan with the larger enrollment.

New topics in the 2009 survey include additional questions on financial incentives for health risk assessments, on-site health clinics, and firm responses to the economic downturn. As in past years, this year’s survey included questions on the cost of health insurance, offer rates, coverage, eligibility, enrollment patterns, premiums, employee cost sharing, prescription drug benefits, retiree health benefits, and employer opinions.

The Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Education Trust. (2009). Employer Health Benefits 2009 Annual Survey.

Full report:  Employer Health Benefits 2009 Annual Survey (PDF | 5.33 MB)

Kaiser Family Foundation. (2009). Employer health benefits, 2009 annual survey.