NU Online News Service, August 10, 2004, 4:15 p.m.. EST
Small to midsized employers held health care cost increases to under 10% in 2003 by cutting benefits, a study finds.[@@]
According to the study of 1,900 employers by Marsh Inc., Minneapolis, the total cost of medical, dental and other health plans employers offered averaged $6,130 per employee in 2003.
Among employers with fewer than 50 employees, the average cost was $5,795 per employee. But mid-sized employers (1,000 to 1,999 employees) experienced an average cost of $6,472, more than larger employers, which averaged $6,324.