PORTLAND – Gov. John Baldacci’s Dirigo health program is a wild card in the coming year when it comes to how much insurance rates will grow.

Employers will pay 8 percent to 16 percent more on average for the health insurance plans they sponsor next year, the Maine Sunday Telegram reported.

And next year’s rates could be pushed even higher as the state considers an assessment on private insurers to fund the DirigoChoice health care plan. Public hearings begin today on the fee, which could be as high as 4 percent of paid claims, the newspaper said.

Even though the growth rate is lower than the 20 percent level recorded a few years ago, health insurance costs remain a top concern for businesses.

“We’re really at a critical point of insurance being unaffordable, not just for employees, but for employers,” said Mike Deschaine, president of Cross Employee Benefits in Augusta.

A survey released this summer by the Maine Center for Economic Policy found that one in 12 small-business respondents had dropped health benefits between 2002 and 2004.

Most of those who retained coverage had raised deductibles. Roughly half had changed carriers, reduced benefits and increased the share paid by workers. A quarter of respondents delayed pay raises to fund health insurance.

A separate survey by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce showed that eight out of 10 members were asking workers for higher co-payments, a similar share was increasing deductibles, and nearly half were offering less coverage.

Frustrations about high insurance costs are familiar to David Clough, state director for the National Federation of Small Business. The group’s 5,500 members in Maine typically have fewer than 15 employees.

So far, Clough said, DirigoChoice seems to be having a minimal impact. As of Oct. 1, only 711 small businesses were covered by Dirigo.

Clough said DirigoChoice seems to be generating the most interest at small firms that pay low wages. Their workers may qualify for the program’s subsidies. For most companies, though, 2006 is looming as another year of big premium hikes and no clear solutions.

“In the eyes of small-business owners,” he said, “the situation isn’t getting better. It’s getting worse.”