News For: Maternity health Insurance In MiamiHealth insurance premiums up 5 percent, study finds Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose a modest 5 percent this year, according to a nationwide survey released Wednesday morning -- numbers that are close to what South Florida employers are reporting. Health insurance premiums jump 5 pct this year U.S. health insurance premiums rose 5 percent on average this year and more companies shifted an additional share of the cost to workers, an annual survey of businesses said on Wednesday. Health insurance premiums outpace wages Premiums for employer-based health insurance in North Carolina rose 5.3 times faster than wages over the past eight years, according to a report released Wednesday. S.C. figures were slightly worse ��� insurance premiums there rose 5.7 times faster than median family earnings from 2000 to 2007. The Carolinas followed a nationwide trend, according to the report by Families USA, a Washington-based ... Health insurance costs grow more gradually in 2008 Health insurance premiums rose a modest 5 percent this year for coverage that's getting skimpier, researchers say. The 5 percent increase was comparable to last year's uptick. Obama Criticizes McCain On Health Insurance Regulation Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama Ill. over the weekend criticized Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain Ariz. for an article that McCain wrote about the health insurance market in an "obscure journal," the Washington Post reports. Health-care costs to rise in '09 Get ready to add ''health care'' to the list of things that probably will cost you more next year. A national survey released Wednesday reveals that 40 percent of companies say they're ''very likely'' or ''somewhat likely'' to increase the amount employees pay for their health insurance in 2009. East Providence workers' new contract hikes health-care contributions EAST PROVIDENCE ��� The city���s clerks, janitors and other members of the local steel workers union entered into a multi-year contract recently that doesn���t raise their salaries this coming year, but increases their health insurance contributions. Pay lags costs for health coverage The cost of health insurance premiums rose 5.3 times as fast as the median wage in North Carolina over the last eight years, according to a report released Wednesday by Families USA, a national advocacy group. As health-care premiums rise, workers at smaller firms feel pinch Premiums for job-based health insurance are up 5 percent in 2008 and have more than doubled since 1999, a growth rate that far outpaces inflation and the increase in workers' wages over the same period, according to an annual survey of employers. Meanwhile, a growing number of workers at smaller firms are getting less coverage for their money as health plans with high deductibles and fewer ... Mental health groups make final push for parity Many people battling addiction or suffering from mental health problems could get better health insurance coverage under legislation that has widespread, bipartisan support but still faces some hurdles before getting to President Bush for his signature. Patients seeking treatment for depression or schizophrenia often face greater restrictions with their health insurance coverage than do patients ... |

