NORTH DAKOTA ( KXNET ) — Around 165 million people get health insurance through work, but many don’t spend time considering what their employer is offering in benefits and what that costs.

A report from Aon found that people only spend 45 minutes deciding which option works best for them.

Open enrollment season is the time to take a close look at what’s at stake — and for one thing, costs are increasing.

Over the years, the cost of healthcare has been rising, and there’s been a noticeable jump recently.

For employers, the increases are reaching a post-pandemic high , and employers are projecting that healthcare costs will increase by 7.7% in 2025. Because of this, employers are considering new ways to adjust their offered plans.

Just over half of companies say that they’re planning to implement programs that will help to reduce total costs, others intend to steer to lower-cost providers — this could mean a narrower network of doctors to choose from.

Right now, employers cover about 81% of healthcare plan costs, while employees pay the rest, according to Aon . But some high costs are passed on to employees.

About a third of employers expect to shift some expenses to employees with higher premiums or co-pays on high-deductible plans.

The cost per employee is expected to jump 5.8%, which makes it the third year of a cost increase of above 5%.

“These are changes employees will feel,” said Mercer’s Research Director of Health and Benefits, Beth Umland.

Healthcare expenses are already high for workers.

“With cost increases reaching a post-pandemic high, companies are concerned about the burden it’s putting on their workforce, especially since it affects decisions about insurance coverage and care,” said WTW’s Chief Actuary of Health and Benefits, Tim Stawicki.

When open enrollment comes around, people are given options for insurance plans: one with a higher monthly cost (premium) and a lower deductible, and another with higher out-of-pocket costs and a lower premium.

“Most of the time when you go through open enrollment, the first thing you see is the deductible and out-of-pocket costs,” explained WTW’s Health, Equity, and Wellbeing Leader for North America, Regina Ihrke.

Use previous years as a guide for weighing your options for this year. Consider what type of claims family you are — low, medium, or high?

If you don’t go to the doctor very often, it’s best to go with a high-deductible plan with a lower monthly cost.

Many employers also offer a health savings account (HSA) to help with additional costs. However, to use an HSA, you must have an eligible high-deductible plan. According to the IRS, a “ high-deductible ” is at least $1,650 for self-only plans or $3,300 for family coverage.

As costs are increasing, HSAs are a safety net to help[p manage out-of-pocket expenses — any money that’s not used, can be rolled over year-to-year.

“Make sure you are considering how to put some money into that savings account so you can use it to pay for a doctor’s bill or save it for future years,” Ihrke said.

Often included in standard benefits packages are different disability and life insurance options. There are two basic disability insurances: short-term and long-term. In the end, it’s best to consider what’s right for you and your family.

Extra benefits are usually options, but just as important. Going into open enrollment, one in five people cite worsening mental health.

“More so than ever we are seeing employers looking to address the broadening needs in their workforce,” said the Principal of the Gallagher Health and Benefits Practice, Tom Kelly. “Today’s employees are looking for more holistic well-being support.”

Some initiatives could include financial coaching, stress management classes, and discounts on gym equipment. There could even be tuition assistance, student loan repayment programs, backup child care, and stipends for enrichment programs and camps.

Though these are all voluntary benefits, “they are becoming a bigger part of the value proposition,” said Kelly.

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