Economic conditions, frustration with high cost levels and limited success in encouraging employees to adopt healthier lifestyles have been persistent challenges for companies. Against the backdrop of health care reform, companies have never been more uncertain about the future of their health care programs over the long term. For nearly a decade, Towers Watson has been tracking employers’ coni dence in their ability to sponsor health care benei ts for active employees 10 years into the future. Employer coni dence has steadily deteriorated since 2007, despite health care cost trends hovering at historically low rates during the same period. With.
