Health insurance premiums in Florida are among the highest in the nation, averaging $15,032 for family coverage in 2010, according to a recent report by health care reform advocates at the Commonwealth Foundation. Only New Hampshire and the District of Columbia had higher average premiums that year, the report shows.
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Get Your Report Now!Florida also outpaced the nation in premium growth, with family coverage rising by 61% over the past 7 years, second only to Mississippi. Premiums grew nationally by 50% during that period, with family coverage averaging $13,871 in 2010.
Employer contributions as a percentage of premiums remained relatively steady during the study period. Florida employers paid 68.8% of premiums for family coverage in 2010, compared to the national average of 73.2%, while contributions levels for single coverage averaged 79% in Florida and 79.3% nationally. The study notes that rising health care premiums are “consuming resources that employers might otherwise have earmarked for salary or wage increases, for other benefits, or for hiring new workers” and that cost pressures are greatest in the south.
The report, Realizing Health Reform’s Potential, offers detailed breakdowns of premiums, deductibles, and employer contributions nationally and by state from 2003-2010. The full study is available at www.commonwealthfund.org.