The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently conducted a survey featuring 2,188 interviews with non-federal public and private firms. The survey is used as a touchpoint for employer-sponsored health coverage, examining employee contributions, cost-sharing, wellness programs, telehealth services, and more.
Premiums and cost-sharing
The survey found the average annual premium for employer-sponsored health coverage at the family tier was $22,463 this year with the employee contributing $6,106 (or 28% of the premium) on average. For single coverage, the average premium was $7,911, with the employee contributing $1,327 (or 17% of the premium) on average. Survey results proved that employees at small firms typically contribute a higher percentage of the premium than those at larger firms.
Approximately 80% of employees enrolled in single coverage must pay an annual deductible before most services are covered by the insurance plan. The average deductible for an employee enrolled in single coverage was $1,763. Deductibles for those employed by a small firm were much higher than those at a large firm.
Plan Enrollments
The most common plan type remains Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). In 2022:
- 49% of employees enrolled in a PPO plan.
- 29% of employees enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) with a savings option.
- 12% of employees enrolled in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan.
- 9% of employees enrolled in a Point of Service (POS) plan.
- 1% of employees enrolled in a conventional or indemnity plan.
Wellness Programs
Pre-pandemic, many organizations implemented programs that helped employees identify and manage chronic conditions, which consisted of health risk assessments, biometric screenings, and health promotion programs. Due to job changes, remote work, and COVID-19 restrictions, participation in such wellness programs has been affected.
Since the pandemic, the number of large firms that provide the opportunity to complete a health risk assessment has decreased. Alternatively, the number of large firms that offer a biometric screening program has increased. The number of firms with wellness programs has remained similar.
Telemedicine
The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown directly caused access to telemedicine benefits to exponentially increase. This year, 87% of small firms and 96% of large firms cover some healthcare services through telemedicine in their largest health plan, of which:
- 24% offer telemedicine service through a specialized telemedicine service provider (MDLIVE, Teladoc, etc.).
- 14% offer services through both their health plan and a specialized telemedicine provider.
- 3% use some other arrangement.
Employers with at least 50 employees said the following areas are significantly affected by access to telemedicine: behavioral health services, primary care, specialty care, and enrollees in remote locations.
To read the full KFF report on the topics above, click here.