How much a company pays for employee health insurance depends on the size of the company. As mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), companies with more than 50 full-time employees must offer a company health plan or pay a tax penalty. According to a 2015 Kaiser Family Foundation study, employers pay, on average, between $5,000 and $12,000 per employee, per year for health insurance. Read more about what companies pay for employee health insurance.