2021 Wisconsin Employer Health Care Benefit Survey Results
By Mike Johnson, Vice President of Employee Benefits
Health insurance premiums for Wisconsin employers increased by an average of 4%-5% percent in 2021, with four out of 10 employers reporting increases of less than 3% and one in 8 employers reporting increases greater than 10%.
Those are among the findings of the 2021 Wisconsin Employer Health Care Benefits Survey conducted this spring by HCTrends. More than 300 employers, representing an estimated 170,000 employees, participated in the on-line survey, which was produced in cooperation with Hausmann-Johnson Insurance, the Benefit Services Group (BSG®), BSG Analytics™ LLC, the Business Health Care Group and the QTI Group.
Other findings from the survey:
- Increases in health plan costs were uniform throughout all regions of the state
- Small employers had slightly higher plan cost increases. One in five employers with fewer than 50 employees experienced plan increases greater than 10%.
- 26% of employers increased employees’ share of the premium in 2021, while 21% increased employee co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance
- 63% of employers say telemedicine is a key part of their health plan strategy
- The median deductible for single plans is $1,000-$1,999 and the median deductible for family plans is $4,000-$5,999
- The majority of companies allow employees to choose between a traditional health plan and a plan with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). HSA arrangements are far more popular than HRAs.
- Less than 40% of employers say they offer wellness plans. Employers in northeastern and southeastern Wisconsin were more likely to offer wellness plans than employers in southern, northern or western Wisconsin. Self-insured plans were also more likely to offer wellness programs than self-insured or level-funded plans.
A 23-page summary of the survey results, as well as breakdowns by region, employer type and employer size, are available at: www.hctrends.com and www.hausmann-johnson.com/2021-health-care-survey.
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