The Kaiser Family Foundation held a reporters-only web briefing on Wednesday, Sept. 25 to release the 2019 benchmark Employer Health Benefits Survey.

This 21st annual survey provides a detailed look at the current state of employer-based coverage and trends in private health insurance for both large and small firms. Key findings examine average premiums for workers and employers and their rate of increase; average deductibles, drug co-payments and other cost sharing; the share of firms of different sizes offering health benefits; and employers’ use of financial incentives in wellness programs. The 2019 survey also includes data on dental and vision benefits, and employers’ experiences and expectations related to the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate penalty and forthcoming “Cadillac tax” on high-cost plans.

The briefing included Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation; long-time study director Gary Claxton, a KFF senior vice president, and co-author Matthew Rae, associate director of KFF’s Program on the Health Care Marketplace.

The full report and executive summary are available at kff.org. The journal Health Affairs also released an article on healthaffairs.org, authored by Claxton and Rae, containing select findings.