Public employers modifying health benefits - Dayton Business Journal:

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The survey, conducted by Brookfield-based , showed publicx employers nationwide are modifying their employee healthy care benefits to includremore cost-saving measures. The survey found that 72 percent of publicd employers are increasing or considering an increas e intheir employees’ deductibles, coinsurance or copays. In 74 percent of public employers are increasing or consideringb an increase inemployee premiums. When asked why they were considerintghigher deductibles, 46 percent of public employers cite the financial crisis. Almost the same percent, 45 percent, cite the crisis as the reaso n why they are thinking about higheremployee premiums.
“Thesw findings are surprising, although cost-sharing measures have been common in the corporat world for quite some public employers have traditionally not modified their healthu care plans in this Sally Natchek, senior director of researcn at the foundation said in a “The fact that the majorityh of public employers are now increasing deductibles, copays and premiumx illustrates the dual effect risinhg health care costs and the financial crisi s are having on theifr plans.” Other cost-saving programs that publid employers are instituting include adding a consumer-drivenn health plan, shifting to a self-funded plan and introducingv spousal surcharges.
Nearly three-fourths of public plan sponsorsw are placing more emphasis on controlling prescription drug The majority of public employers are expandinhg participant education about drug optionseand costs, increasing copayments and/oer coinsurance for drugs and mandating the use of generidc drugs, the survey found.