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CCH® BENEFITS — 11/5/08

Nearly All State And Local Government Workers Have Access To Employer-Based Health Insurance At Varied Rates

From Spencer's Benefits Reports: In 2006, practically all (99.9%) state and local government workers had access to health insurance from their employer; and 65.5% of the total work force was enrolled, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reported in Statistical Brief #223, Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance for State and Local Governments, by Census Division, 2006. The report is based on 3,000 state and local governments sampled from the insurance component of the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel. The majority (89%) of the 134.1 million employees from the combined work force of all private firms and all state and local governments worked where the employer offered health insurance. Of those employees who worked where health insurance was offered, approximately 61.5% were enrolled in their employers’ plans.

Worker participation rates, health insurance premium amounts, and the employee premium share amounts varied across census divisions. For example, the North Central East and West census divisions had lower average enrollment rates than the national average, 60.3% and 56.6%, respectively. The South Atlantic and West South Central regions had higher than average enrollment—69.9% and 70.8%, respectively.

The following chart profiles average figures for premiums and employee contributions for individual and family coverage in employer-sponsored health insurance plans by state and local government census divisions in 2006.

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Costs State And Local Governments, 2006 (Averages)

NATIONAL

Single Coverage

• Premiums: $4,860
• Employee Contribution: $454

Family Coverage

• Premiums: $11,763
• Employee Contribution: $2,058

REGIONS HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE

Single Coverage

• Premiums: $5,874 (New England), $5,486 (East North Central), $5,295 (Pacific)
• Employee Contribution: $925 (New England), $519 (South Atlantic)

Family Coverage

• Premiums: $14,887 (New England), $12,535 (East North Central)
• Employee Contribution: $4,254 (West South Central), $3,237 (South Atlantic), $2,908 (West North Central)

REGIONS LOWER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE

Single Coverage

• Premiums: $4,384 (West South Central), $4,618 (South Atlantic), $4,651 (Mountain)
• Employee Contribution: $274 (Mid-Atlantic), $322 (East South Central)

Family Coverage

• Premiums: $10,866 (South Atlantic), $11,318 (Pacific), $11,434 (Mid-Atlantic)
• Employee Contribution: $875 (Mid-Atlantic), $1,256 (East North Central), $1,5788 (Pacific)

For more information, visit http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/.

For more information on this and related topics, consult the CCH Pension Plan Guide, CCH Employee Benefits Management, and Spencer's Benefits Reports.

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