Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, has released the 2017 Milliman Medical Index (MMI), which measures the cost of healthcare for a typical American family of four receiving coverage from an employer-sponsored preferred provider plan (PPO). In 2017, costs for this family will increase by 4.3%—which marks the lowest rate of increase in the history of this study—though the total dollar increase of $1,118 is consistent with the last decade of healthcare cost increases.
In recent years, the Milliman Medical Index has reported notable increases in pharmaceutical costs. Last year, drug costs increased by 9.1%. That rate of increase fell to 8% in 2017, which is still more than twice the rate of increase for all other components of healthcare spending.
This year’s MMI includes analysis of dynamics driving healthcare costs, including the sometimes elusive nature of rebates in drug pricing. While rebates often do not result in cost savings for consumers at the pharmacy, they still impact the larger cost puzzle.
The MMI is unique among health cost studies because it measures the total cost of healthcare services used by the family of four, including out-of-pocket expenses paid at time of service. The MMI also separates costs into portions paid by employer versus employee. This year, the employer pays $15,259 of a family’s total healthcare costs and the employee—through payroll deductions and cost sharing at the time of service—pays $11,685.
This year’s MMI includes discussion of the major components of the cost of care – payments to providers and the frequency and type of services used – and how they might vary outside the employer-sponsored system. Different discounts and payment mechanisms in the public markets can impact the costs for private insurers and therefore for the MMI family of four.
To view the complete MMI, go to http://us.milliman.com/MMI/.
Related Coverage
- Half of Patients’ Out-of-Pocket Spending for Brand Medicines Is Based on List Price
- PhRMA Report on Cost-Sharing Misses the Mark
- 2017 Greets PBMs With New CMS Report
For more reporting on this topic, see our Prescription Drugs and Pharmacy news hub.