A new study by the Transamerica Center for Health Studies claims companies are more likely to have added or increased contributions to their employees' healthcare premiums in 2016 compared to the last two years.
The same study, conducted by Harris Poll, discovered that 44 percent of companies anticipate their healthcare costs will increase in the next 24 to 36 months.
About 57 percent of employers said they would at least keep those contributions constant, 60 percent said they would keep deductibles the same and 58 percent said they would not change copay amounts. Meanwhile, three in 10 employers want to maximize their contributions to employees' premiums to help manage health insurance costs.
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"The anticipated increase in healthcare costs correlates to improved quality for many employers: two in five companies anticipate the quality of health insurance they offer employees will improve in the next 12 to 36 months, and only 10 percent expect the quality to decline," said TCHS Executive Director Hector De La Torre in a statement. "Companies are most concerned about their ability to manage healthcare costs related to cancer, drug expenses and diabetes and obesity."
Findings also indicate employers are acting preventively, with 61 percent of employers offering workplace wellness programs for their employees. The study found 49 percent of those did so within the past 12 months, citing the need to save money as their primary motivation. Among those with such programs, 82 percent said the move had a positive impact on workers' health. At the same time, 80 percent say it had a positive impact on productivity and performance, and 71 percent said it had a positive impact on healthcare costs.
"Providing the best healthcare benefits package possible remains the top healthcare-related priority for employers," said De La Torre. "Interestingly, employers that offer healthcare benefits are more likely than those that do not to anticipate profitability, hiring and wage increases in the next two years."
[Also: Employer-insured patients spend more on healthcare in 2014, driven by brand-name drugs, report says]
Another finding suggests employers may be looking for ways around the so-called "Cadillac tax." More than four in five employers offer at least one healthcare plan, and companies of all sizes are offering more options; but 45 percent of companies reported being at risk of paying the Cadillac tax in 2018, with 84 percent of those planning to change their health offerings to avoid the tax altogether.
Fifty-five percent of small businesses -- companies with fewer than 50 employees -- say they are aware of the Small Business Health Options Program marketplaces, an increase of five percent over last year's study. A third of those say say they know how to access SHOP coverage for their employees.
Meanwhile, the study illuminates companies' conception of the Affordable Care Act. As many as 84 percent of them, for example, said the ACA had a positive or neutral impact on their business, yet two-thirds (65 percent) complained the reporting requirements are burdensome. Twenty-three percent of small businesses are more likely to believe the ACA had a negative impact on their business compared to 11 percent of mid-sized employers and 10 percent of large companies, even though the reporting requirements have hit medium and large companies the hardest. Finally, a majority of employers, 84 percent, agreed that healthcare benefits are important for attracting and retaining employees. Eighty-eight percent agree healthcare benefits are important for overall job satisfaction.
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Other study findings:
- There has been a steady increase of high-deductible health plans and consumer-directed health plans over the past two years; nearly two in three employers offer one of these types of plans, along with a health savings account.
- Fifty-seven percent of employed adults believe their employers should play an active role in their employees' health, while 68 percent feel lower health insurance premiums should be offered for participation in health promotion programs.
- Of those employers who indicated their company increased health insurance options, adding the availability of other benefits or a workplace wellness program, approximately two in five said the change was due to pressure from employees.
- When it comes to wellness, employees are most likely to take advantage of preventative screenings and vaccinations (46 percent), a health risk appraisal (38 percent), health goals/biometrics monitoring (36 percent), healthy food options (30 percent) and ergonomic workstations (30 percent).
- Employers reporting a positive impact on healthcare costs are more likely to offer screenings (69 percent vs. 57 percent), website links to employee services (53 percent vs. 39 percent) and integrate health promotion into their culture (48 percent vs. 37 percent).
- Of the employers that offer wellness programs, 65 percent say they have complete leadership commitment and support, but only 45 percent say they have integrated health promotion into their organization's culture.
Harris conducted the poll online between Aug. 14 and Sept. 3. About 1,500 employer decision-makers over the age of 18 responded to the 20-minute questionnaire.
Twitter: @JELagasse