Those of us insured through our employers can expect to pay slightly more for health coverage next year than we’re paying in 2006, according to a recent article in Reuters News.

Total employer/employee health insurance costs are expected to rise in 2007 by 6 percent, a slight climb which marks the fourth straight year of a lowered increase.

The human resources firm which conducted the survey on which this article is based predicts that employees will be picking up about 22 percent of the overall cost of health insurance next year, as compared with 20 percent this year. That amounts to an average increase of about $518 per employee over the span of the year, according to a press release on the firm’s study.

But our employers will also be paying more to help keep us insured: from an average of $7,000 to $10,000 per employee, depending on the percent contributed. That reflects an increase of at least 11 percent in employer-covered costs for nearly one in five companies.

If you’re searching for ways to counter this extra expense, you might want to consider an HSA, or Health Savings Account. This is a tax-free account you set up specifically to cover health-related expenses.

For more information:

All About HSAs
Health Savings Accounts
High Deductible Health Plans with Health Savings Accounts