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Health
Care Costs Rocket Employees
Vs. Employers
New
Workforce Offerings
HR
Technology Saves Money
CRITICAL
ILLNESS<
Perfect
Storm strikes CEO's
FAQ
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Increases
seen in medical,
voluntary benefits
benefit
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Employers still are
spending ever more of
their money on health
care benefits, despite
rising costs. A new
survey by the Society for
Human Resource Management
(www.shrm.org) provides
an idea of what is on
employers' shopping list.
According to the survey
of 551 HR and benefits
professionals, the
majority of employers
offer prescription drug
coverage (95%), vision
insurance (73%), wellness
programs (58%), well baby
programs (57%) and
contraceptive coverage
(70%). Most also are
maintaining mental health
coverage, onsite
vaccinations and
educational assistance,
although the number who
do so has decreased over
the past few years.
Meanwhile, increases have
been seen in certain
voluntary benefit
offerings. Almost half of
employers now offer
long-term care and
supplemental health
accident insurance, while
37% provide intensive
care insurance and 32%
critical illness
insurance. Only a fifth
still offer cancer
insurance.
Seeking to manage health
coverage costs, the
number of employers
offering wellness
programs has increased
5%, while the number
conducting health
screenings is up 4% since
2001 to 42% of
respondents. The survey
also finds increases in
prenatal, well-baby and
weight-loss programs.
Benefit costs averaged
30% of payroll among
responding organizations.
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