(J.D. Power and Associates: Westlake Village, CA) -- Even as health care insurance premiums continue to skyrocket, the service experience has more effect than cost management on overall employer satisfaction with their primary health insurance carrier, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Employer Health Insurance Plan Study, released June 29.

The inaugural study examines overall satisfaction of small business owners, employer benefits administrators, and human resources executives with contracted health plans and pharmacy benefits managers. The study measures five key factors that affect employer satisfaction with carriers. In order of impact on the overall experience, they are: employee plan service experience, account servicing, product offering/product design, problem resolution, and cost/cost management.

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