The share of total premiums paid by workers remains virtually unchanged in 2003: 16% across plan types for single coverage and 27% for family coverage.

In 2003, employee contributions for single coverage were statistically unchanged while contributions for family coverage grew by 13%.

Worker Contributions for Health Insurance Premiums

• The average monthly worker contribution for family coverage is $201 in 2003, up from $178 last year (Exhibit 6.1). On an annual basis, workers’ contributions for family coverage increased $276 overall. The average monthly worker contribution for single coverage was $42 in 2003, similar to last year.

• The average percentage of total premiums that workers pay remains virtually unchanged in 2003: 16% across plan types for single coverage and 27% for family coverage (Exhibit 6.2). Percentage contributions for family coverage have remained fairly stable for a number of years, while those for single coverage declined from 1996 to 2000 (from 21% to 14%) and have been stable since that time.

• Nearly all firms that offer health insurance contribute 50% or more to the cost of premiums for their employees, perhaps because many insurers require a minimum contribution level before they will provide coverage (Exhibits 6.8, 6.9, 6.10). Employers are most likely to contribute 75-100% of premiums for single and family coverage.
  
• • The percentage of covered workers whose employers pay the full cost of single or family coverage did not change in 2003.
  • Employers are more likely to pay the full cost of employee premiums for single coverage – 24% of covered workers have the full cost of single premiums paid by their employer, compared with 8% who have the full cost paid for family premiums.
  • However, workers in all small firms (3-199 workers) are much more likely to have to pay 50% or more of the premium cost for family coverage, at 31%, than are workers in all large firms (200 or more workers), at 6%.