Top companies are using a combination of old and new methods to control spending while still providing effective coverage. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Health care costs continue to rise across the country, but some employers are feeling the pain more than others. Companies are using a combination of old and new methods to control spending while still providing effective coverage.

A new report, “Employee Benefits Survey: 2018 Results,” from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, delves into the strategies that re being used by corporate employers to control costs across the U.S.–and which are proving most effective.

There's no one type of health plan that offers significant savings. Preferred provider organization plans are the most commonly offered, at 72.8 percent, while 59 percent offer a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account. Corporations are more likely, at 81 percent, to offer a flex spending account compared to organizations that offer health plans in other sectors.