08/16/2021

Unvaccinated Employees Could Face a Health Surcharge

They could end up paying $50 more for health insurance per paycheck

Workers who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 could soon be paying as much as $50 more per paycheck for health insurance as companies across the U.S. try to protect their employees — and themselves — from outbreaks of the disease.

Although most companies remain hesitant to require workers to get vaccinated before they return to the office, even offering hefty financial incentives to get a shot, a growing number of big employers are imposing such mandates. And as sick Americans again flood hospitals amid a surge in cases caused by the virus's Delta variant, experts say corporations are weighing whether to hike unvaccinated employees' monthly insurance premiums.

"Because of the emergence of the Delta variant and because vaccination levels have stalled out with employers, they're trying to take some more 'stick'-type measures rather than the incentive," said Wade Symons, a partner at Mercer Health, a benefits consulting firm. "They're looking for something that's going to move the needle, and they're looking at a surcharge as a potential option for that."

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