KFF 2022 Employer Health Benefits Survey

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Nov 14, 2022, 3 Minute Read

Given today’s tight labor market and rising wages, employers are concerned about the cost of health premiums, especially since recent inflation suggests larger increases are imminent. And as disclosed in the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) survey, employers continue to be anxious about meeting the mental health needs of their employees and their dependents.

Conducted from February through July 2022, the KFF 2022 Employer Health Benefits Survey, of 2,188 randomly selected private and non-federal public firms of three or more workers, reveals that workers at small firms pay more in premiums and face higher deductibles than workers at large firms.

KFF 2022 Survey Workers at Small Firms Pay More in Premiums and Face Higher Deductibles than Workers at Large Firms

In 2022, the average annual premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance are $7,911 for single coverage and $22,463 for family coverage. In contrast to the lack of premium growth in 2022, workers’ wages increased 6.7% and inflation increased 8%.

Key Findings

The modest change in premiums in 2022 may not continue as inflation continues to grow and catches up in 2023 contracts.
33% percent of covered workers at small firms are enrolled in a plan where the employer pays the entire premium for single coverage versus 6% of covered workers at large firms.
Many employers continue to be anxious about meeting the mental health needs of their employees and their dependents. 48% of large employers see a growing demand for mental health services; 3 in 10 say their plan has too few behavioral health providers to ensure timely access to care. And more than 29% of workers are asking for family leave due to mental health issues.
PPOs remain the most common plan type in 2022 with 49% of covered workers enrolled in a PPO, 29% in a high-deductible plan with with a savings option (HDHP/SO), 12% in an HMO, 9% in a POS plan, and 1% in a conventional (aka indemnity) plan.
Many employers expressed satisfaction with key elements of their plans. Over 75% of employers responded that they were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the components of their plans, including cost of care, quality of providers, and enrollees’ timely access to services.

Additional Findings

Employer-sponsored coverage availability.
99% of large firms (200+ employees) offer health benefits to at least some of their workers, smaller firms (3-199 employees) are significantly less likely to do so.
Overall, 89% of workers employed at firms with three or more workers are employed at a firm that offers health benefits to at least some of its workers.
Among all workers, across firms that offer health benefits and firms that do not, 54% are covered by health plans offered by their employer.
Telemedicine.
Employers remain optimistic about the future of telemedicine, with over half of large employers indicating they believe it will be “very important” to provide access to behavioral health services, and care to enrollees in remote settings, going forward. Over a third of large employers expected telemedicine use to increase this year.
Among firms with 50 or more workers offering health benefits, 87% of small firms and 96% of large firms cover the provision of some health care services through telemedicine in their largest health plan.
Health and wellness programs.
Most firms offering health benefits offer programs to help workers identify and address health risks and manage chronic conditions. 54% of small firms and 85% of large firms offer a program in at least one of these areas: smoking cessation, weight management, and behavioral or lifestyle coaching.
Coverage for insulin and statins.
Most covered workers are in plans that cover the cost of at least some insulin products (70%) and statins for treating high cholesterol (71%) before they meet their general annual deductible. This follows a 2019 change in policies that allowed plans eligible for use with a Health Savings Account plans to cover these expenses as preventive services.

Check out the KFF 2022 Employer Health Benefits Survey to ensure that you and your clients are up to date with the latest employer-sponsored coverage data. Contact us today to develop tailored benefits solutions that address your clients’ needs.

KFF 2022 Employer Health Benefits Survey

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