A new survey shows that more local employers are offering high deductible health plans.

The survey taken by the Rochester Business Alliance  shows that half of the companies responding are offering high deductible health insurance plans, which is slightly higher than the number offering them last year. 

The survey also shows that local employers expect their health insurance premiums to rise by an average of eleven percent next year. 

And the President of the Business Alliance, Sandy Parker, says that a number of employers are asking their workers to bear at least a portion of the increased health premiums...

"I think we're still seeing most employers trying to find a way to share the costs, whether it's a 50-50 split, but I think they're still looking to bear some of the cost increase themselves." 

The RBA survey does show that 61 percent of local employers plan to continue offering health insurance to employees once new federal mandates go into effect in 2014, despite  the fact that there are potential penalties for not offering affordable coverage.