Health costs rising next year

The Baltimore Sun: Employers Face Higher Health Care Costs For Next Year
Health care costs rose faster than inflation and wages this year -; a trend that will hit home for many workers in the next several weeks as employers offer open enrollment. Employers usually pick up much of the tab for health insurance, but many are expected to shift more of this growing burden onto workers next year. That means employees are likely to see higher premiums and deductibles. And a growing number will be required to pay more up front, as more companies are adding so-called consumer-driven plans (Ambrose, 10/2). 

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wages Hit By Rise In Cost Of Health Benefits
Since 1999, the cost of health insurance provided by an employer rose on average by 160%. In roughly the same time frame, the median household income, after adjusting for inflation, fell by 8.9%. Those two figures, both released in the past two weeks, are connected more than people realize.
Economists agree that, over the long term, money that would have gone toward higher wages has gone toward the cost of providing health benefits (Boulton and Poston, 10/1).