Study shows healthcare costs expected to drop

A survey released Aug. 21 by Segal Group indicates that increases in healthcare costs will be lower next year than this year.

Whether the downward trend will continue after next year remains unclear, however.

The survey found that trend rates for point-of-service health plans without prescription drugs for employees and retirees younger than 65 drowill have declined by 3.3 percent between 2003, when they were 13.7 percent, and 2009. Retail prescription drug trends will have experienced a larger decline, from 19.7 percent in 2001 to 9.1 percent in 2009.

To conduct the survey, Segal contacted managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and administrators.