Premiums average $465 per month for individuals and $1,168 per month for families, the report finds, with the lowest premium costs in the central part of the country and the highest in the northeast. West coast employers put in the most toward individual premiums, at 80 percent, while northeast employers contribute the most toward dependent premiums, at 43 percent.

There's also some variation in the number of health care plans available due to company size; larger companies generally provide more offerings.

Preferred provider organizations are still the most popular plan type nationwide for small businesses, making up 49 percent of those offered. Even though PPOs cost more, companies choose them because of the greater flexibility they provide in provider access, movement of care, network size and out-of-network coverage.

But here too there's considerable variation, depending on where the company is located. PPOs are more popular in central states, accounting for 58 percent of PPO plans, while in the northeast, they only make up 35 percent of plans. Possibly that's due to lower average population density and/or different network providers, the report says.

Another finding is the increase in deductibles and a stabilization of out-of-pocket expenses. Both vary significantly by region, generally inversely, with the central region having the highest average deductibles but the lowest OOP limits. The west, on the other hand, has the lowest average deductibles but the highest OOP limits.

The average deductible for individuals, the report finds, is $1,650, with the average OOP for individuals running $4,825. The average family deductible is $3,520, with the average OOP $9,780.