Some plans are also raising deductibles and co-payments for doctor visits and even adding co-payments for hospital stays.

Because raising deductibles for wealthy retirees could be administratively burdensome, Congress could raise premiums instead.

Employers are pushing more of the costs onto their workers, raising co-payments and deductibles.

But the Democrats have balked at a Republican proposal to sharply raise the premiums and deductibles that the elderly pay for Part B of Medicare.

Traditional fee-for-service insurers can shift medical costs to health-plan enrollees by raising deductibles and, up to a point, still keep down the premiums paid by employers.

For many hospitals, insurers are not only increasing premiums but are also sharply reducing amounts of coverage and raising deductibles.

The Republican Medicare plan raises beneficiaries' co-payments, deductibles and premiums and encourages them to join cost-saving managed care plans.

These would raise certain premiums and deductibles for affluent retirees, and require a new co-payment for home services.

A renegotiated health plan will raise the musicians' co-payments and deductibles and save the orchestra 11 percent a year in premium costs.

Not all employers are dealing with cost increases by raising deductibles, of course.