Nearly 71% Of Private Employees Have Access To Health Benefits

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 30 Aug 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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Seventy-one percent of U.S. private-sector employees have access to employer-based health care benefits this year, and 52% of workers with access chose to participate in the plans, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Kansas City Star reports. The report found that 60% of private industry establishments offered health benefits to workers in 2007. Private U.S. establishments on average covered 81% of monthly premium costs for employee-only coverage and 71% of monthly premiums for family coverage, according to the report.

The average employee contribution toward monthly premiums for employee-only plans was $81.37, and the average monthly contribution for family plans was $312.78, the report found.

The report also found that 61% of private-sector employees had access to retirement benefits and that 51% of employees participated in at least one type of retirement plan. According to the bureau, 20% participated in defined benefit retirement plans and 43% enrolled in defined contribution plans, with some employees participating in both types of plans (Stafford, Kansas City Star, 8/25).

The report is available online.

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