Lower paid workers contribute more for medical care benefits than higher paid workers

About half of private industry workers participated in employer-provided medical plans in March 2016. Among the workers who participated in these plans, 84 percent were in plans that required them to contribute toward the cost of the premiums for single coverage; 92 percent were in plans that required them to contribute toward the cost of the premiums for family coverage. The average employee contribution was $126.68 per month for single coverage and $511.47 per month for family coverage. For workers with an average wage in the lowest 10 percent, the average employee contribution for single coverage was $143.60 per month. That was higher than the average contribution of $122.21 per month for workers with an average wage in the highest 10 percent.

For family coverage, the average contribution was $575.10 per month for workers with an average wage in the lowest 10 percent. The average employee contribution was $452.80 per month for workers with an average wage in the highest 10 percent.

These data are from the National Compensation Survey — Benefits program. For more information, see National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2016.