Planning to Retire

10 Benefits Your Employer Will Cut Next Year - Health Coverage

By Emily Brandon

Posted: December 1, 2008

Higher health costs. Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance climbed to $12,680 annually for family coverage this year. Employees pay an average of $3,354 out of their paychecks to cover their share of the cost, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey of 2,832 companies. "Health insurance is steadily becoming less comprehensive," says Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman. "With rising deductibles, more and more people face a substantial amount out of pocket for their healthcare before their insurance fully kicks in." About 18 percent of employees currently have deductibles of at least $1,000, up from 12 percent last year. And 25 percent of companies plan to increase employee contributions to health insurance in the next year, Watson Wyatt found.

Layoffs
Hiring freezes
Travel restrictions
Training cuts
Canceled parties
Salary freezes
Reduced merit increases
Pension freezes
Cut 401(k) matches

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Planning to Retire

Planning to Retire

Reporter Emily Brandon tells you how to get ready financially for retirement and to make your golden years the best they can be.

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