The annual Kaiser
survey of employer health benefits found the average premiums for single and family coverage increased 4% and that employers added new mental and behavioral health benefits over the last year.
Average premiums were $22,221 for family coverage and $7,739 for single coverage.
The survey details a number of steps employers are taking to improve health benefits for their employees. The report found:
- 94% of covered employees at large firms have coverage for specialty drugs.
- 83% of large firms offer at least one wellness program.
- 58% of large firms expanded on-line counseling services for emotional or financial distress, relationship issues, or other stressful situations.
- 96% of large firms now cover telemedicine, up from 74% last year.
Takeaway: While health care costs continue to rise, large employers remain focused on finding ways to lower costs and improve benefit offerings for employees. Many large employers changed their offerings for behavioral health and telehealth services, demonstrating the impact of the pandemic on benefit offerings. We will likely continue to see an increase in the types of services offered for behavioral health conditions as 59% of large firms state they are concerned a “great deal” that substance abuse conditions have increased among their employees since the start of the pandemic.
