CT family premiums fifth highest in nation

This won’t surprise anyone who buys their own coverage (or buys it for their employees), that a new report by the Commonwealth Fund finds that CT’s family premiums were the fifth highest in the US last year. Rates increased by one third from 2003 to 2008, as did the US average family premium -- so at least we aren’t rising any faster than the rest of the country(I guess that qualifies as good news). Single coverage fared slightly better rising 29%. But to put those costs in context, we have very high incomes here in CT as well – so I guess their point is we can afford to pay more? We are fifth lowest in the nation for premiums as a percent of median household income. Still, spending 14.3% of income on health care is no bargain. The report outlines how much CT consumers could save by modest reductions to the increase in health insurance costs.
Read the report and you’ll be able to ace the September CT Health Policy Web Quiz.
Ellen Andrews