Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: February 15, 2008

Insurance premiums in Colorado will rise by double digits for the seventh year in a row during 2008.

The Lockton Co. of Colorado reports that the average increase is 12.9 percent, higher than national levels. More than 88 percent of employers plan to pass along some portion of the rate increase to their employees.

While insurance premiums continue to experience double-digit increases, the average merit pay increase is 3.5 percent. Lockton estimates this differential could result in more employees waiving coverage because of costs and a perceived lower value of health insurance as a benefit.

The typical deductible for Colorado employees is $500. Thirty- seven percent of employers will offer health savings accounts this year -- the same level as in 2007, Lockton said. About 85 percent of employers will offer plans that have higher deductibles and out of pocket expenses.

More employers are considering offering a high deductible health plan for 2009, and nearly 36 percent are considering offering a wellness plan as a cost-containment measure.

Also, more Colorado employers want employees to pay 100 percent of premium costs -- an increase to 34 percent this year, up from 29 percent during 2005.

The rising cost of health insurance remained the top concern for employers -- something that has been unchanged during the survey period. This year, provider quality ranked second and health plan quality came in third.

Paying for health insurance has changed since Lockton started the survey. During 2000, 16 percent of employers offered a self-funded plan; 34 percent were self-funding plans during 2007. Fifty-seventy percent offered a fully insured plan during 2007, a decrease from 61 percent in 2006.

Health forum to join coalition to strengthen reform

The Business Health Forum has been selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to participate in a coalition to strengthen health care reform efforts in Colorado.

The coalition includes the Colorado Health Initiative, the Colorado Progressive Coalition and the Colorado Council of Churches. The groups will participate in the Consumer Voices for Coverage initiative, a joint project of RWJF and Community Catalyst, which concentrates on state health care reform initiatives.

"Being chosen to receive this grant demonstrates that health care experts nationwide are looking to our state to set a strong national standard on strategies that will increase the number of residents who have health insurance," said Dede de Percin, executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.

Nonprofit organizations receive Centura donations

Woodland Park High School and Parkhill Christian Academy will receive grants to purchase Automatic External Defibrillators as part of Centura Health's "Jumpstart a Heart" Community Outreach Program.

More information about the "Jumpstart a Heart" program, sudden cardiac arrest, AEDS, and a grant application are available at www.CenturaHeart.org.

Cheyenne Village gets grant from Denver Foundations

Cheyenne Village has received a grant for $20,000 from the Denver Foundation.

The money will be used to defray health care, medical and dental costs for developmentally disabled adults -- expenses that are not covered by the government or Medicaid.

Cheyenne Village was the first agency to be licensed by the Colorado Department of Health and the Department of Social Services. Its programs for the elderly include daily direct care and supervision.

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