Health insurance costs rose 5 percent between 2007 and 2008 - not a massive increase, but when you factor in that employers are spending 119 percent more than they were nine years ago and workers are paying 117 percent more for coverage, the figures get a little more impressive.

A greater number of employees, particularly those in smaller companies, are changing over to high deductible health plans as their employers attempt to control costs. Today, a third of employees in smaller companies - those with less than 200 people - carries a policy that requires an annual deductible of $1,000 or more. What solutions are out there for small businesses and their employees who seek affordable coverage?

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1. Jasper Rice Says:
   September 25th, 2008 at 10:27 am

   I think that more employers need to learn about Health Savings Accounts and HRA programs. If you don’t show people all of their options, how can they make a decision.

2. Senta Says:
   September 25th, 2008 at 11:45 am

   There really aren’t any solutions, at least on a short term basis. Doctors need to stop charging so much and do a better job of their job. If the doctors would spend five more minutes listening to their patients concerns, I’m 100% positive that the patients would have better outcomes in terms of getting prescribed to unnecessary prescriptions, testing and surgeries. When doctors go back into the business of helping people rather than covering up symptoms, the health of this country will rise and the insurance companies will not have to keep raising rates because they are paying out so many unecessary claims.

3. Ron Says:
   September 25th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

   I agree with Jasper, HRAs and MERPs are some cost solutions for employers and employees, but not all brokers are versed enough to be able to sell them. Unfortunately, as the years go by, inflation is just something we have to learn to live with.