Coverage Basics: Sharing the Cost


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How Much Do You Pay for Health Insurance?
How Much Does Your Employer Pay?

Most of us are shielded from the heavy burden of the full cost of medical procedures, treatments and drugs. That's because employers spend, on average, five times more than employees do for healthcare.

From 2001 to 2002, premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance increased by an average of almost 13 percent nationwide. In this sluggish economy, businesses are struggling to pay for the steep increase in insurance premiums and some are asking employees to assume a greater responsibility.

Fortunately, there are simple things that we can all do to help keep healthcare affordable for everyone:

  • Discuss all treatment options with your doctors
  • Ask if a generic drug is available when you need prescription medicine
  • Carefully review your doctor and hospital bills and ask for explanations of charges that you don't understand