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2021 Employer Health Benefits Survey

Published: Nov 10, 2021

Abstract
Summary of Findings
Survey Design and Methods
Report

This annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing provisions, offer rates, wellness programs, and employer practices. The 2021 survey included 1,686 interviews with non-federal public and private firms.

Annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $22,221 this year, up 4% from last year, with workers on average paying $5,969 toward the cost of their coverage. The average deductible among covered workers in a plan with a general annual deductible is $1,669 for single coverage. Fifty-eight percent of small firms and 99% of large firms offer health benefits to at least some of their workers, with an overall offer rate of 59%. This year's report also looks at changes employers made to their health benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Survey results are released in several formats, including a full report with downloadable tables on a variety of topics, a summary of findings, and an article published in the journalHealth Affairs.

NEWS RELEASE

A news release announcing the publication of the 2021 Employer Health Benefits Survey is available.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The Summary of Findings provides an overview of the 2021 survey results and is available under the Summary of Findings tab.

FULL REPORT

The complete Employer Health Benefits Survey report includes over 200 exhibits and is available under the Report tab. The "Report" tab contains 13 separate sections. Users can view each section separately or download the section exhibits from the right side of the respective section page.

HEALTH AFFAIRS

The peer-reviewed journalHealth Affairshas published an article with key findings from the 2021 survey:Health Benefits In 2021: Employer Programs Evolving In Response To The COVID-19 Pandemic

WEB BRIEFING

A recording of a Nov. 10 web briefing highlighting key findings from the 2021 report will be available.

INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC

This graphing tool allows users to look at changes in premiums and worker contributions for covered workers at different types of firms over time: Premiums and Worker Contributions Among Workers Covered by Employer-Sponsored Coverage, 1999-2021.

CHARTPACK

More than 20 overview slides from the 2021 Employer Health Benefits Survey are available as a slideshow.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Standard errors for selected estimates are available in the Technical Supplement here.
Employer Health Benefits Surveys from 1998–2020 are available here. Please note that historic survey reports have not been revised with methodological changes.
Researchers may request a public use dataset by going to Contact Us and choosing "TOPIC: Health Costs."