■ We've been told for some time that women are the nurturers, and that men are less "sensitive." So it's somewhat surprising that, according to a recent survey of small employers (less than 200 employees), more y-chromosome business owners than double-x'ers believe that offering health insurance is important.
The survey, conducted by American Express (available here, and please see update below) found that "67% of men vs. 59% of women feel such coverage is important." The company gleaned the information from over 600 owners of small businesses.
USA Today also notes that, according to The Kaiser Foundation, fewer small companies are offering group medical plans to their employees. The KFF report itself also notes that more covered employees are being asked to shoulder a greater share of the cost of these plans, either by increased premium contributions or higher deductibles (or both).
No real surprise there.
■ More disheartening news for those who think that a national health care system will control costs: at a time when commercial rate increases are declining, Medicare costs are on the upswing.
On the one hand, monthly Medicare premiums are expected to increase by 3.1% next year (to $96.40), which represents the lowest such increase in a half dozen years.
On the other, rates for Medicare drug plans are on course for a whopping 8.7% increase, to an average $40 per month. Ouch!
According to Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere Health (a private outfit that studies, among other things, Medicare efficiencies), "Plans that are popular are raising prices because they understand that seniors are not interested in switching (carriers)."
D'uh.
■ In the "Not Sure What to Make of This" Dept: So far this year, folks covered under individual HDHP/HSA plans are one and a half times more likely to pull money from their accounts as those covered under a group plan. And, those covered under a group plan made over three times the number of contributions to their HSA's as did those with individual plans.
Be interesting to know the "root cause" of this dichotomy.
UPDATE: A very special Thank You to Rosa Alfonso at American Express for providing us with the report on small business owners.
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