A review of benefit costs and premiums indicate that a recent rise in the cost of premiums is not related to increases in of benefits. Total premiums reported to the insurance commissioner rose by 71% while beneft payments by those same companies rose by just 6% between 1999 and 2002. A discrepency exists between those benefit payments reported by the insurance commissioner and those reported by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for private sector carriers; DLIR reports a 16% growth in the same years that the insurance commissioner reports a 6% growth. Both of these are below the number expected as a result of growth in the economy. Premium per $100 of payroll rose by 51% betwenn 1999 and 2002, while benefits declined by 6% (insurance committioner) or increased by 3% (dlir). Relating premium payments to benefit payments indicates there is no relationship between the two.