K-12 tax & spending climate: higher healthcare deductibles take toll on family incomes,

Guy Boulton:

The average premium for single coverage is $6,251 this year, with workers on average paying $1,071 of the cost. The average premium for family coverage is $17,545, with workers on average paying $4,955 of the cost.

Premiums have increased an average of 5% a year since 2005, compared with 11% a year between 1999 and 2005, according to the survey by Kaiser Family Foundation, a health policy research organization, and the Health Research & Educational Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association.

However, premiums still have increased at a much faster pace than inflation and wages.

The relatively modest increase in premiums over the past decade also stems partly from an increase in deductibles for most health plans.

The annual survey found that 81% of workers who have health benefits this year are in plans with a deductible, compared with 55% in 2006.