Latest Employer Health Coverage Survey

Six in 10 employers offered health coverage to workers in 2005, about the same percentage as last year but down from 69% in 2000, especially among smaller firms, according to the latest annual survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust.

Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance increased an average 9.2%, ending the double-digit increases of the past four years, but were 73% higher than in 2000 and much higher than annual inflation (3.5%) and wage gains (2.7%), the survey indicates.

“Unless cost increases moderate substantially, or new ways are found to finance health care for lower income workers, we may well see the downward trends in offer rates and coverage continue,” Kaiser and HRET said.