Healthcare costs for Los Angeles employers climbed 4.5% this year to $11,625 per employee, a new survey shows, and firms expect a bigger increase in 2014.
Nationwide, health-benefit costs in the workplace rose just 2.1% in 2013 to $10,779 per worker, which includes employer and employee contributions for medical, dental and other health coverage.
The figures come from a survey of employer health plans by Mercer, a benefits consulting firm.
Full coverage: Obamacare rolls out
Employers nationwide and in Southern California expect their healthcare costs to climb more than 5% next year.
Mercer says many employers anticipate spending more next year to cover additional employees and dependents because of the federal Affordable Care Act, which will requires most individuals to have health insurance or pay a penalty.
Nationwide, 22% of an employer's eligible employees, on average, waive coverage for themselves, either because they have insurance elsewhere or choose to be uninsured. Of those who do enroll, 53% add dependents.