Nearly half of Americans with employee benefits says that they are paying more for their coverage today than they were at this time last year.
According to the poll, which was performed by Princeton Survey Research Associates International and commissioned by consumer finance online resource Bankrate, 47 percent of workers indicated that a larger chunk of their paycheck was being taken out of their income in order to cover the cost of their employer-based insurance. Additionally, more than four in 10 said that they were also paying more out-of-pocket due to higher deductibles, co-payments and other costs that weren't covered by their plans.
"Since so much of the ObamaCare conversation has focused on uninsured Americans and the government-run exchanges, it's easy to forget most Americans – about 150 million – get their health insurance from an employer," said Doug Whiteman, insurance analyst for the New York-based consumer finances services company. "People covered under these plans should watch for changes and discuss with their employers how ObamaCare may affect their coverage and costs."
He added that in order to rein in their costs, consumers should be sure to examine all of their options, including what the prices of plans are through the federal- or state-based exchanges.
Though they aren't required to provide benefits until 2015, many employers are participating in the federally facilitated marketplaces, offering plans that have to meet certain requirements. For example, health insurance information firm HealthPocket noted that small group health insurance plans have deductibles caps of $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families. However, based on a review of these group coverages, more than 96 percent of Bronze plans are over the $2,000 cap.
In February, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that these limits could be waived, pending eligibility requirements.
