Group Health Policies

Employer sponsored health care plans cover more than 160 million Americans. From a difference perspective, 60 percent of all employees are covered by a group health plan as of 2009. However, that represented a decline from 69 percent in 2000.

Scope of Coverage

• Most Americans have health insurance through group plans. In 2008, 46 percent of companies with fewer than 10 employees provided benefits. Companies with 10 to 24 employees furnished health care benefits 72 percent of the time. This increased to 87 percent for companies with 25 to 49 workers. Virtually all larger companies provided health insurance to their employees.

Employee and Employer Payments

• The average monthly premium for single coverage in 2009 was $402. The average monthly premium for family coverage was $1,115. Employees generally pay 17 percent of the premiums for single coverage or $65 a month. Employers generally pay 83 percent of the cost for single coverage or $337 a month.

  Employees on family coverage pay 27 percent of the average monthly premium or $293 a month. Employers pay the remaining $819 of premium each month.

  Employers in small firms pay the entire premium for single coverage 14 percent of the time. For firms under 200 employees, the company pays the entire premium for single coverage 39 percent of the time.

Health Care Reform's Impact

• The tax breaks granted by the 2010's Health care reform law are expected to help millions of businesses. Employers with fewer than 25 employees who are paid an average salary of $50,000 or less are entitled to tax credits. The tax credit is equal to 35 percent of the premiums paid for health insurance. In 2014, the credit rises to 50 percent of premiums paid.