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Article: Mild bump expected in benefits
- Article from:
- Indianapolis Business Journal
- Article date:
- October 13, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright IBJ Corporation Oct 13, 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Several industry surveys predict health insurance expenses will rise at a slower pace in 2009 than in previous years. Many employers, however, are passing the added burden on to workers.
Raising deductibles, copayments or out-of-pocket spending limits are the most common ways companies plan to reduce their increases. The trend of passing more of the responsibility to employees has escalated the past five years, giving rise to cheaper alternatives such as consumer-directed health plans.
"The tie that binds is that everybody agrees the rate of increase is slowing," said Mark Sherman, a senior consultant at locally based Benefit Consultants Inc. "We're out of the doubledigit era."
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