The total health benefit cost per employee in Connecticut rose 6.9 percent this year, well above the 2.1 percent averaged across the rest of the country, according to a survey by Mercer, a consultancy based in Boston.
The average health benefit cost per employee in Connecticut this year is $12,776. That compares to a national average of $10,779.
The figures include employer and employee contributions for medical, dental and other health coverage.
The 53 Connecticut employers surveyed expect costs to rise 6.1 percent in 2014. They said they plan to stem increased by making changes to plan design or vendors.
Across the country, health costs grew 4.1 percent in 2012. But the 2,842 employers surveyed by Mercer expect a 5.2-percent increase in 2014.
A shift to high-deductible plans is helping to slow overall cost growth, Mercer said.
The survey also said the Affordable Care Act is a wildcard that could drive cost increases in 2014.
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