Employers Reconsidering Commitment to Spousal Health Coverage
While not as
prevalent, a similar trend has emerged in health care coverage for employeesf
children.
By PLANSPONSOR staff editors@plansponsor.com | March 11,
2016
More than half (56%) of employers have increased employee contributions to
health care coverage for spouses, with another 25% planning to do so by 2018,
according to results of the 20th annual 2015 Willis Towers Watson/National
Business Group on Health (NBGH) Best Practices in Health Care Employer Survey.
Additionally, use of spousal surcharges when other employer-provided coverage
is available is expected to more than double by 2018, from 27% to 56%. The
average spousal surcharge across all employers surveyed is $1,200 per year. The
survey also found that a small number (3%) of employers donft offer or have
eliminated subsidies altogether for spousal coverage, with another 10% planning
to by 2018.
gGiven the high cost of health care, companies no longer want their plans to
be spouse magnets, which may incur thousands of dollars a year in additional
health care expenses when spouses have access to coverage through their own
employers,h said Randall Abbott, senior health and benefit strategist, Willis
Towers Watson. gAssessing the actual costs for spouses and determining how to
best manage them can help create more efficient health care plans and avoid or
reduce additional across-the-board increases in employee contributions.h
While not as prevalent, a similar trend has emerged in health care coverage
for employeesf children. Just under half (46%) of employers have increased
employee contributions for childrenfs health care benefits more than for
employee-only coverage, with another 15% planning to by 2018.
Survey results show total health care costs (employer and employee) reached
$12,041 per employee per year (PEPY) in 2015 and are expected to rise nearly 5%
(to $12,643 PEPY) in 2016.
The 20th annual Willis Towers Watson/NBGH Best Practices in Health Care
Employer Survey identifies the actions of high-performing companies as well as
current trends in the health care benefit programs of U.S. employers with at
least 1,000 employees. The survey was completed by 487 employers in June and
July 2015. Respondents collectively employ 15.1 million full-time employees,
have 12 million employees enrolled in their health care programs and represent
all major industry sectors.