News Briefs: Average Employer Plan Premium Set to Rise 7%
The average annual premium for employer-sponsored health insurance this year increased by 7% for single coverage and family coverage, reaching $8,435 and $23,968, respectively, according to the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey. The report, released on Oct. 18, noted that workers’ wages increased by 5.2% and inflation rose by 5.8% in 2023. The average annual increase last year was 2% for single coverage and 1% for family coverage. KFF’s survey, now in its 25th year, includes private and non-federal public employers with three or more workers.
Customer satisfaction with health insurance increased to a record-high score, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) Insurance and Health Care Study published on Oct. 17. Humana Inc. had the highest score (82 out of 100), followed by UnitedHealthcare (78) and CVS Health Corp.-owned Aetna (77). ASCI’s report was based on interviews with 12,849 customers between October 2022 and September 2023 on subjects such as the range of plans available, ease of submitting a claim and access to doctors and hospitals. ASCI was founded in 1994 by researchers at the University of Michigan as well as the American Society for Quality in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and CFI Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
