Sept. 26, 2005: Survey Finds Steady Decline In Businesses Offering Health Benefits
WASHINGTON - The percentage of businesses offering health insurance to their workers has declined steadily over the last five years as the cost of providing coverage continues to outpace inflation and wage growth, according to the 2005 Annual Employer Health Benefits Survey released by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust.
The survey found that three in five firms (60 percent) offered coverage to workers in 2005, down significantly from 69 percent in 2000 and 66 percent in 2003. The drop stems almost entirely from fewer small businesses offering health benefits, as nearly all businesses with 200 or more workers (98 percent) offer such benefits.