A survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust found health insurance premiums rose a modest 5 percent this year compared to 2007. The Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health research group which studies health policies, and the Health Reseach & Educational Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association that studies health issues says that employees continue to spend more in medical costs, including their share of yearly insurance premiums. Employees are paying an average of $3,354 in premiums for family coverage, more than double the amount they paid in 1999. The total cost for family coverage now averages $12,680 a year, up 5 percent from 2007.

The survey which involved 1,927 employers found that 18% of insured employees pay at least $1,000 before their coverage starts, compared to 12% in 2007.

“We may be seeing the tip of the iceberg of a trend toward less comprehensive, skimpier health insurance coverage for many working people,” said Drew Altman, president and chief executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which conducts health research. “Premiums have risen 3 1/2 times faster than wages. That’s why people are feeling the pain, and that’s why they say paying for health coverage is one of their top concerns today.”

Among companies with fewer than 200 employees, more than 1 in 3 covered workers must pay at least $1,000 out of pocket before their plan starts to pay a share of their healthcare bills, compared to one in five in 2007. Many small companies have opted for health plans that ask employees to pay much more in the form of deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. The Kaiser study pointed to the differences between employees working for big companies and those working for small business. Big companies remain a strong source of coverage compared to small companies.

A survey from Hewitt Associates shows that the average health care cost per person for major U.S. companies will grow from $8,331 in 2008 to $8,863 in 2009.

More than half of all Americans get their health insurance through an employer. The Health Research & Educational Trust survey showed the average premium for family coverage increased to $12,680 a year, with individual coverage costing $4,704.

Karen Ignagni, CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans, the trade group for insurers said that much more needs to be done in order to make healthcare coverage more affordable for both consumers and employers.

The US Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimated earlier this year that total health care spending would double to more than $4 trillion a year by 2017. The costs have already reached more than $2.1 trillion in 2006, accounting for 16 percent of gross domestic product.

Reports show the proportion of insurance premiums that workers pay for family coverage has remained constant over the years, but the dollar amount that workers contribute has increased. Employees continue to spend more in medical costs and their share of yearly insurance premiums. As they are paying more, more people have problems paying their medical bills.