NEW YORK -- Costs for the most popular types of health care coverage are projected to increase at double-digit rates for 2010, according to a national survey of insurers and administrators by Buck Consultants, an ACS company.

In its 21stNational Health Care Trend survey, Buck Consultants measured the projected average annual increase in employer-provided health care benefit costs. The study analyzed responses from over 100 health insurers and HMOs. Insurers providing medical trends for the survey cover a total of approximately 78 million people.

Buck's Predicted National Health Care Trend 2010: Preferred Provider Organization: 11.1% Consumer Driven Health Care: 10.3%

For plans that supplement Medicare, health insurers reported a projected increase of 5.8% excluding prescription drug coverage, down from 7.4% in the prior survey. This lower trend reflects the impact of federal controls on Medicare fees and the lower increases expected in Medicare deductibles and copays."Health insurers are concerned about higher costs due to federal mental health parity, as well as an increase in COBRA enrollment," said Harvey Sobel, FSA, a Buck principal and consulting actuary who directed the survey."There is also uncertainty due to health care reform and its impact on all sectors of the health care industry." Health insurers use trend factors to calculate premium rates, and large self- funded employers use these trend factors to budget their future health care costs. In general, trend factors provide for price increases that may result from such variables as inflation, utilization of services, technology, changes in the mix of services, and mandated benefits.

About Buck ConsultantsBuck Consultants, an ACS company, is a leader in human resource and benefits consulting with more than 1,500 professionals worldwide. Founded in 1916 to advise clients in establishing and funding some of the nation's first public and private retirement programs, Buck is an innovator in the areas of retirement benefits, health and welfare programs, human capital management, compensation, and employee communication. Visit www.buckconsultants.com.