Modest health premium increases, major wellness pushback at Penn State, and ACA marketing targets "doctor moms": 3 things you need to know this week

Family premiums, worker deductibles tick upward

Annual research data from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust released this week show that the average amount employees pay per year for family coverage rose a modest 4% in 2013 to $16,351. In addition, annual employee deductibles increased slightly this year as well—from $1,097 in 2012 to $1,135 (for employee-only coverage).

Although the premium and deductible increases are relatively low—compared to the overall rising cost of care—it’s worth noting that the cost trend increases outpaced both wages and inflation, up 1.8% and 1.1%, respectively.

Regarding deductibles, more employees are responsible for meeting higher thresholds than in previous years, KFF/HRET find, with more than one-third (38%) enrolled in a high-deductible health plan with a deductible of $1,000+ per year.

Penn State pushes back hard (and publicly) against wellness requirements

It started simply enough: In the face of double-digit health cost increases, Penn State University officials decided to turn its cost-containment energies toward enhancing its wellness program—specifically, charging workers a $100 monthly fee if they and their covered spouses fail to complete health questionnaires, certify they’ve had an annual physical exam and undergo biometric screenings to measure blood sugar, cholesterol and body-mass index. The university also plans to add a $75 monthly penalty on tobacco users.

Classic “sticks,” by most employer standards.

What PSU, and many other employers using similar wellness “stick” approaches, didn’t anticipate was the loud and public employee backlash to the plans, which reached national news outlets in recent weeks, including the Wall Street Journal.

Want to keep your wellness program out of the mainstream media and employees’ crosshairs this enrollment season? Follow these six tips.

This week’s hidden gem: ACA marketers target "doctor moms"

In the U.S., we’ve got “working moms,” “soccer moms” and even “tiger moms.” Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, you now can add a new segment to the national nomenclature: “doctor moms.”

Women, mothers in particular, are statistically known as the health care decision-makers in their families. As such, these “doctor moms” are a particularly sought-after segment of the population for marketing campaigns for and against the ACA.

Recent news from Bloomberg notes that of the more than $500 million already spent on ACA-related advertising, most has been targeted toward women and/or mothers.