Insurance Premiums Changes

Employer Health Benefits: 2008 Summary of Findings (Kaiser Family Foundation 9/24/2008 )

SUMMARY: An annual survey of employee-sponsored insurance, for both single and family coverage, covering about 158 million Americans. The survey is funded by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust (HERT) showing how much the employee pays vs the employer. Also there is a break down of the employer cost of health care: HMOs, POS and deductibles.

TOPIC: Should the government arrange for hospitals to network to help standardize the cost of health care?

CATEGORY: Institutional

TITLE: Employer Health Benefits: 2008 Summary of Findings

PUBLICATION INFO: The Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues in the U.S.

AUTHOR: The Kaiser Family Foundation

LOCATION: http://ehbs.kff.org/

ACCESSED: February 12, 2009

SUPPORT: 158 million non elderly Americans, surveyed in the program; Kaiser Family Foundation, non-profit health care foundation focused on health policy; Health Research & Educational Trust, trying to change health care through education and development; HMOs, health maintenance organization; PPOs, preferred provider organization; POS, Point of Service plans

AUDIENCE & AGENDA: Kaiser Family Foundation is non-profit foundation that focuses on health policy and communication. Providing non-partisan facts, information, and analysis.  Making the information available for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the public. Trying to improve the health care system and the benefits available.

USEFULNESS: The annual survey shows the division of health care payments between the employee and the employer. The graphs and figures showing the increase in prices of health care in the last year provide for an easy understanding of the concept. The article also separates the difference of having a family health care plan apposed to choosing a single health care plan. The main cost for many is the premium or deductible. Both of these costs add up for the 158 million Americans that were surveyed, even when the employer is picking up part of the payment.

WORKS CITED: http://ehbs.kff.org/, http://www.kff.org/about/index2.cfm, http://www.hret.org/hret/about/, http://www.agencyinfo.net/iv/medical/types/hmo-ppo-pos.htm