August 23, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Health care plans in 2007

Fifty-two percent of workers in private industry participated in a medical care plan in March 2007.

[Chart data—TXT]

Most employees covered by medical care plans were in plans requiring employee contributions for both single and family coverage. Employee contributions for medical care premiums averaged $81.37 per month for single coverage, and $312.78 per month for family coverage.

About half of workers participated in outpatient prescription drug coverage, and smaller proportions participated in dental care and vision care coverage.

These data are from the BLS National Compensation Survey program. Learn more in "Employee Benefits in Private Industry, 2007," (PDF) (TXT) USDL 07-1282, and in "National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in Private Industry in the United States, March 2007," (PDF) Summary 07-05.