GLOSSARY

For additional assistance on 

benefits, contact one of our 

information offices:

NATIONAL: WASHINGTON, DC

(202) 691-6199 TDD: (800) 877-8339

NCSinfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/ebs

REGIONAL:

ATLANTA

(404) 893-4222

BOSTON

(617) 565-2327

CHICAGO

(312) 353-1880

DALLAS

(972) 850-4800

KANSAS CITY

(816) 285-7000

NEW YORK

(646) 264-3600

PHILADELPHIA

(215) 597-3282

SAN FRANCISCO

(415) 625-2270

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Access to a plan. Employees 

are considered to have access to 

a benefit plan if it is available 

for their use. For example, if an 

employee is permitted to participate 

in a health plan offered by the 

employer, he or she is placed in a 

category with those having access 

to a health plan, regardless of 

whether the employee chooses to 

participate in the plan.

Participation. Participation is the 

percentage of employees who 

actually enroll in a benefit plan. A 

plan may be a contributory plan, 

which requires an employee to 

contribute to the plan’s cost in 

order to participate, or it may be a 

noncontributory plan in which the 

employer pays 100 percent of the 

cost of the benefit.

Health care. Health care is a 

collective term for the following 

benefits: medical, dental, 

and vision care benefits; and 

outpatient prescription drug 

coverage. If workers have access 

to, or participate in, at least 

one of those benefits, they are 

considered as having access to, or 

participating in, health care.

Medical care. Medical care provides 

coverage for the treatment and 

prevention of a broad range of 

illnesses and injuries, including 

coverage for surgical care, visits to 

a physician, or hospital care with 

inpatient hospital charges.

Flat-dollar contribution. Flat-dollar 

contributions are fixed payments 

toward a particular benefit, for all 

eligible employees, that are not 

based on worker attributes, such as 

length of service or earnings.

contributions were not required for 

21 percent of the highest 25-percent 

wage category and for 15 percent of 

the lowest 25 percent. (See table 2.)

The average flat monthly employee 

contribution for employees with 

single coverage and who were 

required to contribute was $104.60. 

The median monthly flat dollar 

employee contribution for singlecoverage medical benefit plans was 

$89.72, ranging from $35.84 at the 

10th percentile to $186.67 at the 90th 

percentile. (See table 3.) Employee 

contributions showed little variation 

by wage category. 

Family coverage

Employee contributions were 

required for 90 percent of private 

industry workers participating 

in family coverage medical care 

benefits, and employers covered 

all premiums for 10 percent of 

participating employees. Employee 

contributions were not required for 

13 percent of the highest 25-percent 

wage category and for 8 percent of 

the lowest 25 percent. 

Monthly employee contributions 

showed large differences for 

workers with family coverage. The 

average flat monthly employee 

contribution was $404.03. The 

median monthly flat dollar employee 

contribution for family coverage 

medical benefit plans was $335.81, 

ranging from $133.71 at the 10th 

percentile to $774.00 at the 90th 

percentile. Lower wage workers 

contributed about 17 percent more 

than higher wage workers at the 

median employee contribution level 

for family coverage ($381.09 and 

$324.32, respectively). ●

from page 3►

TABLE 3

Medical care benefits: monthly employee contributions for single 

and family coverage, private industry workers, March 2011

The next Program Perspectives will feature 

Retirement Plan Costs by Participation

All workers 10th percentile 50th percentile (median) 90th percentile

Single coverage $35.84 $89.72 $186.67 

Family coverage $133.71 $335.81 $774.00 

Note: Includes workers partcipating in medical care benefits with flat-dollar contributory coverage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.
2 PROGRAM PERSPECTIVES  •  DECEMBER 2011 U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

from cover page►

in a medical care plan, but access 

and participation vary substantially 

by wage category. The rate of 

participation varies from 21 percent 

for lower wage workers (the lowest 

25 percent of private industry wage 

earners, at or below $10.69 per hour) 

to 71 percent of higher wage workers 

(the highest 25 percent of private 

industry wage earners, at or above 

$24.81 per hour). (See chart 1.)

Employer share of 

premiums

In March 2011, private industry 

employers paid 80 percent of 

premiums for single-coverage 

medical care benefits and 69 percent 

of premiums for family coverage. 

(See table 1.) 

The share of single-coverage 

health care premiums paid by private 

industry employers increased from 

the lowest 25 percent of wage earners 

to the highest 25 percent of wage 

earners. A similar pattern appears in 

the share of employer premiums paid 

for family coverage.

Employer premium costs

For workers with medical care 

benefits, employers made the 

majority of contributions toward 

premiums, but there were differences 

by wage category, especially 

for family coverage. Employers 

contributed higher average flat-dollar 

premiums for higher wage workers 

than for lower wage workers. 

Flat-dollar payments are the most 

common type of contribution for 

employees with contributory single 

or family medical care coverage. 

CHART 1

Medical care benefits: access and participation rates by wage category, private industry 

workers, March 2011

 Access

 Participation

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Lowest 25 percent Second 25 percent Third 25 percent Highest 25 percent

Wage category

Percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.

TABLE 1

Medical care benefits: share of premiums paid by employer and 

employee, private industry workers, March 2011

(In percent)

Characteristic

Single coverage Family coverage

Employer 

share

Employee 

share

Employer 

share

Employee 

share

All workers 80 20 69 31

Average wage within the following categories:

 Lowest 25 percent 76 24 63 37

 Second 25 percent 78 22 66 34

 Third 25 percent 80 20 69 31

 Highest 25 percent 82 18 73 27

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.
2 PROGRAM PERSPECTIVES  •  DECEMBER 2011 U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

from cover page►

in a medical care plan, but access 

and participation vary substantially 

by wage category. The rate of 

participation varies from 21 percent 

for lower wage workers (the lowest 

25 percent of private industry wage 

earners, at or below $10.69 per hour) 

to 71 percent of higher wage workers 

(the highest 25 percent of private 

industry wage earners, at or above 

$24.81 per hour). (See chart 1.)

Employer share of 

premiums

In March 2011, private industry 

employers paid 80 percent of 

premiums for single-coverage 

medical care benefits and 69 percent 

of premiums for family coverage. 

(See table 1.) 

The share of single-coverage 

health care premiums paid by private 

industry employers increased from 

the lowest 25 percent of wage earners 

to the highest 25 percent of wage 

earners. A similar pattern appears in 

the share of employer premiums paid 

for family coverage.

Employer premium costs

For workers with medical care 

benefits, employers made the 

majority of contributions toward 

premiums, but there were differences 

by wage category, especially 

for family coverage. Employers 

contributed higher average flat-dollar 

premiums for higher wage workers 

than for lower wage workers. 

Flat-dollar payments are the most 

common type of contribution for 

employees with contributory single 

or family medical care coverage. 

CHART 1

Medical care benefits: access and participation rates by wage category, private industry 

workers, March 2011

 Access

 Participation

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Lowest 25 percent Second 25 percent Third 25 percent Highest 25 percent

Wage category

Percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.

TABLE 1

Medical care benefits: share of premiums paid by employer and 

employee, private industry workers, March 2011

(In percent)

Characteristic

Single coverage Family coverage

Employer 

share

Employee 

share

Employer 

share

Employee 

share

All workers 80 20 69 31

Average wage within the following categories:

 Lowest 25 percent 76 24 63 37

 Second 25 percent 78 22 66 34

 Third 25 percent 80 20 69 31

 Highest 25 percent 82 18 73 27

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.
GLOSSARY

For additional assistance on 

benefits, contact one of our 

information offices:

NATIONAL: WASHINGTON, DC

(202) 691-6199 TDD: (800) 877-8339

NCSinfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/ebs

REGIONAL:

ATLANTA

(404) 893-4222

BOSTON

(617) 565-2327

CHICAGO

(312) 353-1880

DALLAS

(972) 850-4800

KANSAS CITY

(816) 285-7000

NEW YORK

(646) 264-3600

PHILADELPHIA

(215) 597-3282

SAN FRANCISCO

(415) 625-2270

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Access to a plan. Employees 

are considered to have access to 

a benefit plan if it is available 

for their use. For example, if an 

employee is permitted to participate 

in a health plan offered by the 

employer, he or she is placed in a 

category with those having access 

to a health plan, regardless of 

whether the employee chooses to 

participate in the plan.

Participation. Participation is the 

percentage of employees who 

actually enroll in a benefit plan. A 

plan may be a contributory plan, 

which requires an employee to 

contribute to the plan’s cost in 

order to participate, or it may be a 

noncontributory plan in which the 

employer pays 100 percent of the 

cost of the benefit.

Health care. Health care is a 

collective term for the following 

benefits: medical, dental, 

and vision care benefits; and 

outpatient prescription drug 

coverage. If workers have access 

to, or participate in, at least 

one of those benefits, they are 

considered as having access to, or 

participating in, health care.

Medical care. Medical care provides 

coverage for the treatment and 

prevention of a broad range of 

illnesses and injuries, including 

coverage for surgical care, visits to 

a physician, or hospital care with 

inpatient hospital charges.

Flat-dollar contribution. Flat-dollar 

contributions are fixed payments 

toward a particular benefit, for all 

eligible employees, that are not 

based on worker attributes, such as 

length of service or earnings.

contributions were not required for 

21 percent of the highest 25-percent 

wage category and for 15 percent of 

the lowest 25 percent. (See table 2.)

The average flat monthly employee 

contribution for employees with 

single coverage and who were 

required to contribute was $104.60. 

The median monthly flat dollar 

employee contribution for singlecoverage medical benefit plans was 

$89.72, ranging from $35.84 at the 

10th percentile to $186.67 at the 90th 

percentile. (See table 3.) Employee 

contributions showed little variation 

by wage category. 

Family coverage

Employee contributions were 

required for 90 percent of private 

industry workers participating 

in family coverage medical care 

benefits, and employers covered 

all premiums for 10 percent of 

participating employees. Employee 

contributions were not required for 

13 percent of the highest 25-percent 

wage category and for 8 percent of 

the lowest 25 percent. 

Monthly employee contributions 

showed large differences for 

workers with family coverage. The 

average flat monthly employee 

contribution was $404.03. The 

median monthly flat dollar employee 

contribution for family coverage 

medical benefit plans was $335.81, 

ranging from $133.71 at the 10th 

percentile to $774.00 at the 90th 

percentile. Lower wage workers 

contributed about 17 percent more 

than higher wage workers at the 

median employee contribution level 

for family coverage ($381.09 and 

$324.32, respectively). ●

from page 3►

TABLE 3

Medical care benefits: monthly employee contributions for single 

and family coverage, private industry workers, March 2011

The next Program Perspectives will feature 

Retirement Plan Costs by Participation

All workers 10th percentile 50th percentile (median) 90th percentile

Single coverage $35.84 $89.72 $186.67 

Family coverage $133.71 $335.81 $774.00 

Note: Includes workers partcipating in medical care benefits with flat-dollar contributory coverage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.