Costs for the most popular medical plans are projected to increase by more than 10 percent for 2010, according to a national survey by Buck Consultants.

Buck analyzed responses from over 100 health insurers and HMOs, and found that health insurers reported an average prescription drug trend of 10.9 percent, up 0.1 percent from the 10.8 percent reported in a prior survey. For plans that supplement Medicare, health insurers reported a projected increase of 5.8 percent excluding prescription drug coverage, down from 7.4 percent in a prior survey. This lower trend reflects the impact of federal controls on Medicare fees and the lower increases expected in Medicare deductibles and co-pays, Buck says.