Employers’ health costs are rising slowly

Employers’ health care costs rose by an average of just 2.6% last year, according to data from benefits consulting firm Mercer.

Why it matters: Employer-based insurance is the dominant form of coverage in the U.S., and most people who have it aren’t experiencing big premium increases.

Yes, but: Employers have kept premium increases in check partly by raising deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs. And the 2.6% average increase masks a lot of variation: Roughly a third of companies with fewer than 500 employees saw their costs rise by double digits.