Healthcare costs for a family of four in 2020 dropped 4.2 percent from 2019 because of the pandemic, according to the 2021 Milliman Medical Index report.
It is the first time in the report's 16-year history that costs for a family of four on employer-sponsored insurance have decreased.
"Eliminated care in 2020 more than offset the cost of COVID-19 testing and treatments," said the report's co-author Dave Liner in a May 27 statement. "In fact, all categories of healthcare costs — inpatient, outpatient, and professional and other services — were lower in 2020 compared to 2019, except for prescription drug costs."
Employer-sponsored healthcare costs are expected to rebound by 8.4 percent in 2021, the news release said.