Despite foreseeing record-breaking employee health care costs in the near term, major employers will continue to offer coverage to full and part-time workers. However, coverage for spouses and dependents could be targeted for cutbacks.

That's the latest from a Towers Watson survey that found employers generally anticipate a 5.2 percent increase next year in health plan costs, which would put coverage cost per employee at an all-time high, Towers Watson said.

However, many employers are planning to make design changes to their plans. Should they occur, employers then project a 4 percent plan increase.

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.