Health Benefit Costs Over Time

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers a report: “Program Perspectives, On Health Benefits, recent data on employers’ costs and employees’ access.” The report (which also appears in the “Resources” section of this weblog) is user friendly and well worth the moment or two it would take to peruse it. It offers some interesting information on both relative cost and access. Of particular note, however, is “Chart 1,” which is a graphic representation of the “Employment Cost Index, private industry, 12 month percent change, health benefits and total benefits, 1982-2008.” Although BLS offers a caveat on the numbers, it cuts both ways.

BLS characterizes the data thus: “Over the last 25 years, health benefit costs for employers has moved in fits and starts.” The chart shows rapid accelerations in cost accompanied by periods of deceleration. In March1983 the cost of health benefits spiked 23.5% over the year prior; a similar (but not as large) rise may be seen from mid-1987 to mid-1988, and a protracted ascent may be seen from 1996 to 2002. BLS juxtaposes the health benefit costs with the costs of "total benefits;" in comparison, the movement of "health benefit costs" is precipitous.

BLS does not offer an explanation. It would be interesting to see charts which juxtaposed the cost of health benefits during this time period with the Inflation Rate, Interest Rates, Avg. ROI in the Stock and Bond Markets--and of course, the reported profit of the major commercial Health Insurance providers.