Don't count on lower insurance costs for next year

Steve Schneider owns a digital marketing agency in Indiana where he insures six people on the company’s health insurance plan – two employees and their dependents – for about $37,000 a year.

He said it’s an “ultra-high” deductible plan that requires each family to pay the first of the year’s $12,100 in medical costs out of their own pockets and charges totaling $6,050 for each family member before the insurance plan pays.

That’s hardly insurance, but that is the norm.

“Every year, it’s how much can we offer and how much can employees pay? How high can I push the deductible to lower the premium...