This should surprise no one. From Public Sector Inc.:
A new Kaiser Foundation “Snapshot” of findings from Kaiser’s annual “Healthcare Benefits Survey” demonstrates, yet again, that government employees’ health benefits are more generous than their private sector counterparts’. And in every respect.
- Premiums-Government plans are more expensive and employees have to contribute less, relatively and absolutely. The standard employee premium share for a family plan is 23% in the public sector and 30% in the private, which works out to a difference of $1,100 annually.
- Out-of-pocket expenses-In addition to paying more for their premiums, private workers face higher deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance costs.
- Eligibility-Governments offer health benefits to more of their employees than private firms (75% vs. 59%).
- Retiree healthcare-Somewhere between 60-80% of large government employers offer it, whereas fewer than 20% of large private employers do.
