Health care costs, and consequently employee health benefit costs, have been growing at an alarming rate in recent years. As health care costs climb, the amount your employer must pay for your health benefits also increases. Unfortunately, the trend of health benefit costs rising faster than the rate of inflation is expected to continue. Unpredictable and uncontrollable health insurance rate increases are having a very serious financial impact on many employers and employees. Employers are also passing more of these costs onto employees, as the percentage that employees are asked to pay is also increasing.