Employers Offering Health Insurance

Definition

Percentage of private sector establishments that offer health insurance to employees, 2011.

Description

The majority of Americans get their health insurance through programs offered by their employers. Employment-based health insurance is typically less expensive and provides more comprehensive coverage than plans purchased individually on the private market. This measure looks at all private sector businesses, but data has shown that small employers are less likely to offer health benefits than larger firms. However, the cost of providing health care can be high, especially for small employers and employers with low-wage workers, and businesses often have to decide between offering jobs and offering coverage.

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Employers Offering Health Insurance

Source

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) - Insurance Component, Table II.A.2. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Center for Cost and Financing Studies, 2011. Data provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation, statehealthfacts.org