Annual Health Insurance out-of-pocket costs for employees of large companies have more than doubled since ‘98, to $2,126 this year, according to Hewitt Associates, a benefits consulting firm. Hewitt is expecting a 22% jump next year, to $2,595. Employers still pay 70% of total health care costs but the shift is on. And more workers are going without insurance, even at large companies. According to a recent report by the Commonwealth Fund, which studies health policy issues, 9.6 million workers and family members at companies with more than 500 employees did not have employer-provided health coverage in ‘01. The number of Americans without insurance has, grown to 43.6 million, the highest since ‘98, according to the Census Bureau. Experts say that the uninsured skimp on care, compared with people who have coverage. Still, uninsured families this year averaged $772 in out-of-pocket spending. (NY Times 10/22/03)
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