Kaiser Family Foundation 2013 Employer Benefits Survey
The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) published their annual survey of employer-sponsored health benefits. To assist with the study, Kaiser and HRET retained National Research, LLC to conduct telephone interviews with human resource and benefits managers using the Kaiser survey. From January to May 2013, National Research completed full interviews with 2,067 firms.
Highlighted below are some of the key findings for all surveyed employers including large employers and self insurers.
- Self-insurance continues to be increasing with 61% of covered workers in a self-funded plan.
- Covered workers in large firms (200 or more workers) are more likely to be in a self-funded plan than workers in small firms (3-199 workers), by a margin of 83% to 16%
- Large firms of over 200 workers represent only 1.6% of the sample
- The average annual premiums in 2013 are $5,884 for single coverage and $16,351 for family coverage
- Average premiums increased 5% for single coverage and 4% for family coverage in the last year
- Family premiums have increased 80% since 2003 and have more than doubled since 2002
- Average family premiums for workers in small firms (3-199 workers) ($15,581) are significantly lower than average family premiums for workers in larger firms (200 or more workers) ($16,715)
- Between 1999 and 2013, the offer rate for large firms (200 or more workers) has consistently remained at or above 97%The age of the workforce significantly affects the probability of a firm offering health benefits.
- Firms where 35% or more of its workers are age 26 or younger are less likely to offer health benefits than firms where less than 35% of workers are age 26 or younger (23% and 59%, respectively)
- Large firms (200 or more workers) are more likely to offer more than one type of health plan than smaller firms