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Abstract
Sharply rising health care costs and the downturn in the economy have resulted in higher premium contributions and cost-sharing requirements for workers, according to survey results reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust. The survey also indicates cutbacks in the scope of health benefits offered by firms. The annual survey, conducted between January and may of this year surveyed 3,262 randomly selected public and private firms ranging in size from 3 to more than 300,000 employees. From the spring of 2001 to the spring of 2002, a 12.7% increase in monthly premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance drove the average annual premiums shared by employers and employees to $3,060 for single coverage and $7,954 for family coverage.