A survey from Aon Consulting found that employers can expect healthcare claims costs to rise 10.6% over the next 12 months before benefit buydowns. Aon surveyed more than 70 leading health plans representing 100 million lives. The survey found HMO costs are expected to rise 10.6%, POS plans 10.5%, PPOs 10.7% and consumer-directed plans 10.5%. The rate of increase is slightly slower than in 2008, Aon said. Prescription drug costs are expected to rise 9.2% and specialty pharmacy 12.2%.
That’s pretty much in line with gloomy projections released by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in its annual report, “Behind the Numbers, Medical Cost Trends for 2009,” which expects employers to experience medical cost increases of 9.9% in 2008 and 9.6% in 2009. What’s more, PWC said, the recent trend of deceleration in healthcare cost trends appears to be ending.
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