Managing Benefits Plans

Average health benefit costs have declined steadily since 2002. In fact, Hewitt Associates (Lincolnshire, IL; www.hewitt.com) pegs average rate increases for health benefits in 2007 at 7.7%, following increases of 7.9% in 2006, 9.2% in 2005, 12.3% in 2004, 14.7% in 2003, 15.2% in 2002, and 10.2% in 2001.