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KFF has conducted this annual survey of private and non-federal public employers with three or more workers since 1999. The survey tracks trends in employer health insurance coverage, the cost of that coverage, and other topical health insurance issues. Findings are based on a nationally representative survey of public and private employers with three or more employees, including those who respond to the full survey and those who indicate only whether or not they provide health coverage. Browse the reports
The survey provides an in-depth look at trends in employer-sponsored coverage in California, including premiums, cost sharing, offer rates, and employer strategies to manage costs and access to care, including comparisons to the nation overall.
This analysis compares ACA Marketplace costs to employer-sponsored health insurance costs and finds that individual market premiums have become more similar to employer-sponsored premiums over time. In 2024, individual market insurance premiums averaged $540 per member per month, slightly below the average $587 per member per month premium for fully-insured employer coverage. The analysis uses data from Mark Farrah Associates Health Coverage Portal to compare average premiums in the individual and group insurance markets. The…
While more large employers are covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, KFF's conversations with employers highlight concerns about the cost of these medications. Many of these employers have considered scaling back coverage of GLP-1 agonists for weight loss, or in some cases, employers are adding or strengthening coverage requirements.
This annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including premiums, worker contributions, cost-sharing provisions, offer rates, and more. This year's report also looks at how employers are approaching coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, including their concerns about utilization and cost.
In a commentary on KFF’s 27th employer health benefits survey, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman discusses the obstacles employers face trying to control their health care costs, and the reasons why they’ve never been meaningful supporters of government cost-containment efforts. He predicts that premium increases expected next year could lead to a new wave of higher deductibles and other forms of cost sharing for the 155 million Americans who rely on employer coverage. Read…
Since 1999, the Employer Health Benefits Survey has documented trends in employer-sponsored health insurance. Every year, private and non-federal public employers with three or more employees complete the survey. Among other topics, the survey asks firms for the premium (or full per-person cost) of their health coverage, as well as worker contributions (amount of the premium that workers pay). The graphing tool below looks at changes in premiums and worker contributions over time for covered…
Family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance reached an average of $26,993 this year, KFF’s annual benchmark health benefits survey of large and smaller employers finds. On average, workers contribute $6,850 annually to the cost of family coverage, with employers paying the rest. Family premiums are up 6%, or $1,408, from last year, similar to the 7% increase recorded in each of the previous two years. This year’s increase compares to general inflation of 2.7% and wage…
This Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker chart collection examines trends in employee spending on deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance from 2012 to 2023 using a sample of health benefit claims for individuals under 65.
This Health Policy 101 chapter explores the complex landscape of private health insurance regulation in the United States, detailing the interplay between state and federal regulations that shape access, affordability, and the adequacy of private health coverage. It focuses on key laws such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Employer Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and discusses how regulations impact the private insurance market, illustrating the challenges consumers face in navigating this system.
This brief examines key characteristics of part-time workers and their access to coverage. Part-time workers are much less likely than full time ones to be offered health benefits by their employer or to have health coverage at all.
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