November 11, 2021
Payers
  • The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released its 2021 benchmark Employer Health Benefits Survey, revealing that annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 4 percent this year. On average, family premiums cost $22,221, with workers contributing $5,969 and employers paying the rest. KFF found that many employers have ramped up mental health and other benefits to provide support for their workers during uncertain times. The annual change in premiums roughly matches the year-to-year rise in workers’ wages (5 percent) and inflation (1.9 percent). However, what workers and employers pay toward premiums over time has risen more quickly. Since 2011, average family premiums have increased 47 percent, more than wages (31 percent) or inflation (19 percent). (Report here; Articles here, here, and here)