Employees Could Avoid Higher Health Costs in ’08

A Wealth of Health: Anxiety about soaring insurance premiums is seeping into boardrooms, factories and offices. Next to pay, health insurance is the most powerful recruiting and retention incentive for small businesses, according to the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations. The Burr Ridge, Illinois-based association says 70 percent of business owners have no plans to raise employee contributions for health care insurance in 2008. However, about 5 percent are uncertain whether they can continue to afford paying employee health premiums. The survey of 365 businesses also reveals that, while most firms are not going to require employees to pay more, they do expect them to take better care of themselves. Nearly two-thirds have implemented health and wellness programs to help curb costs, while the remainder are said to be “considering” the idea.