Survey: Premiums for employer-sponsored coverage rise average 4%

The average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health coverage rose 4% this year to $17,545, according to the latest annual survey of employer-sponsored health insurance by the Kaiser Family Foundation and AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust. The average annual premium for single coverage also rose 4%, to $6,251. "Also noteworthy is that many employers are tying financial incentives to employee participation in health and wellness programs," said Maulik Joshi, HRET president and AHA associate executive vice president. For more on the wellness program trend, see today’s AHASTAT blog post. Among other survey findings, 81% of covered workers were in plans with a general annual deductible. The average deductible for all covered workers was $1,077, 67% more than in 2010. A KFF graphing tool allows users to look at changes in premiums and worker contributions for covered workers at different types of firms over time.