"Cost trends for Medicare-eligible retirees after plan changes (3.9%) are similar to trends for active employees (4.0%). However, survey results show that trends for pre-65 retirees after plan changes are much higher (5.5%), highlighting the total cost of providing medical coverage to these younger retirees without the benefit of Medicare. In addition, 73% of employers offering medical benefits to retirees under 65 said their 2015 plan costs already exceed the cap for the plan.... [C]onfidence is growing that public exchanges will be a viable alternative for employer-sponsored coverage for pre-Medicare retirees: While only 8% are confident for 2015, confidence rises sharply to 35% for 2017."  MORE >>