Employers Cutting Health Costs and Waistlines

Although the annual median increases for health insurance will remain the same for America's large employers - about 8 percent - in 2007, they're finding other ways to keep health costs down. Many of the large employers surveyed by Watson Wyatt Worldwide and the National Business Group on Health said they would implement other solutions to improve employee health in an effort to make a long-term impact on health costs.

About 78 percent of large employers said they are offering a nurse line, and 72 percent offer health risk appraisals. Nearly one-half (42 percent) are implementing programs that focus on reducing employees? obesity.

The 12th annual survey from Watson Wyatt and National Business Group is based on responses from 573 large employers that collectively employ 11 million full-time workers.