Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Health care premiums continue to rise

If you pay for any of your health insurance through your employer, this latest information won't surprise you. From USA Today:

Health care premiums rise 6.1%, far outpacing wages
Health insurance premiums paid by workers and their employers rose an average of 6.1% this year, outpacing inflation and pay increases and taking a bigger chunk out of families' budgets, according to a survey out Tuesday.

The cost was down from a 7.7% increase a year earlier, according to an annual survey of employers by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit research group.

This year's slowdown doesn't mean much when it outpaces wages, which rose an average of 3.7%, and inflation, which went up 2.6%, said Drew Altman, the foundation's president and CEO.

The cost for family coverage has risen 78% since 2001, while wages have risen 19% and prices for goods and services have risen 17% in that period, according to the report. [emphasis mine]
As one person commented following the article:
Jesus! Mary! Joseph! as my sainted mother used to say....

I am so discouraged with what is happening in this country I am ready to cry....
If you're interested, click here to read the Kaiser Family Foundation Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey.

3 comments:

Larry said...

The economy is falling apart, insurance costs are skyrocketing, there are thousands laid off each week, foreclosures are at an all time high, and people cannot afford the insurance they had (if they had any) much less any increase.

Anonymous said...

It's not all bad news, Larry. The wealthy are doing just fine.

Larry said...

Abi:

You are right, the wealthy are in no hurt at all.

Now for the other 98% of the country!