Employer-Sponsored Single, Employee-Plus-One, and Family Health Insurance Coverage in the Private Sector: Selection and Cost, 2012

Health insurance provided by employers is a key source of coverage for both employees and their families. In 2012, slightly more than half of private sector employees who enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance took single, self-only coverage and the remainder took non-single coverage (a plan covering the employee and at least one other family member). According to the Insurance Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS-IC), those employees with non-single coverage contributed both a larger dollar amount and a larger percentage of the total premium for their coverage than did employees with single coverage. Non-single health insurance plans encompass two types of coverage: family coverage and employee-plus-one coverage. When available for the same level of benefits, employee-plus-one plan premiums are less expensive than family plans (see "Definitions" section). This Statistical Brief presents information on the selection and cost of single, employee-plus-one, and family health insurance coverage for current employees in the private sector in 2012. Data are analyzed for small (fewer than 50 employees) and large (50 or more employees) employers. Only differences that are statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level are discussed in the text.