Report Examines Effect of Changes in Wages and Benefits on Health Care Payments

"Wages and Benefits: A Long-Term View," Kaiser Family Foundation's Snapshots: Health Care Costs series: The report examines changes in wages and benefits since the 1960s and concludes that one way working families might be feeling the impact of rising health care costs is through smaller increases in their paychecks. The Snapshot focuses on the increase in health insurance costs paid by employers and changes in the size of health care expenses compared with wages, other benefits and the national gross domestic product. Total compensation -- wages plus benefits -- as a share of GDP has remained fairly stable during the period, with wages consistently the largest component of worker compensation. However, average health benefit costs paid by employers have increased from 0.6% of GDP in 1960 to 4.1% in 2006. The online series uses charts, data and analysis to look at key issues affecting the cost of health care in the country (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 2/12).