Group health renewal premiums may increase 8.4% for health maintenance organization plans in January 2009, and about 11% to 12% for preferred provider organization plans.
Millman Inc., Seattle, has based those figures on a survey of carriers that serve large and midsize U.S. employers.
The actual increase in rates between July 2007 and July 2008, assuming no changes in benefits for cost-sharing levels, was 9.7% for HMO plans and about 10% to 11% for PPO plans, Millman says.