Government
More money, fewer problems getting insurance
■ An occasional snapshot of current facts and trends in medicine.
Quick View. Posted April 6, 2009
| Average annual employee premiums | Percent of household income | |
|---|---|---|
| Below 227% of federal poverty level | $2,118 | 7.3% |
| 227%-299% of poverty | $2,671 | 5.2% |
| 300%-399% of poverty | $3,416 | 5.2% |
| 400% of poverty or more | $3,354 | 2.9% |
It's much easier for wealthier Americans to get employer-sponsored health insurance than it is for those who earn less.
A report by the Government Accountability Office found that only 69.3% of workers earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level are offered coverage through jobs, while 92.4% of those at 400% or more are.
Source: "CMS Should Improve Efforts to Assess whether SCHIP is Substituting for Private Health Insurance," Government Accountability Office, February (link)
Copyright © 2009 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
