# How Much Do You Pay for Health/Dental Insurance At Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 7, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712 "2012-01-07T08:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/1 "2012-01-07T08:14:12Z")
Basically a question for Americans, but other feel free to chime in if you pay through work. I am in H/R and I got the increase notice for insurance at our company. Normally it’s a small increase. We have Blue Cross/Blue Shield and a dental PPO. (Dental is marginal with only $1,500 limit). Anyway the cost to our employees was $35.00 a paycheck. Paychecks are every two weeks. Spouses or defactos are $125 a paycheck additional and children come in at $75.00 additional per kid. It is going up to $117.00 per paycheck starting in February. Dependent coverage is going up to $200 for spouses and $150 for each child you want covered. To me this is ludicrous. Our company should be changing insurance providers to find a better rate. I put the notices in the paychecks on Friday and am not looking forward to Monday when the complaints start pouring in. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/2 "2012-01-07T11:00:39Z")
I happened to be going over some of this. For family coverage, I pay $7.14 per paycheck. (we’re paid weekly) What you’re describing sounds extremely high (to me). ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/3 "2012-01-07T12:24:33Z")
_checks that this is not a zombie thread_ Holy smokes, that sounds cheap to me! We pay out many MANY hundreds per month for medical only, worker plus spouse. Small family owned company, mind you. Pullin, seriously, $28 per month? Would you like to adopt me? ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/4 "2012-01-07T13:06:19Z")
I’m thinking mine is about $250 per month for Hallboy and I. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/5 "2012-01-07T13:20:03Z")
Single non-smoking female, Blue Cross HMO, $50 per paycheck every 2 weeks, which is 20% of the company’s premium, about 40 insured employees (I think). Includes eye care, for which I just paid nothing for my checkup, and extras like yearly bloodwork and yearly mammogram and yearly pap are no extra charge. $10 copays for everything but emergency care which is $50. Dental is crappy, basic coverage is $20 a month and top coverage is $30 a month. I think my payouts last year came to about 30% of my cost for crowns. It’s separate from the Blue Cross, I don’t know why; I’m guessing it’s the cheapest for the company, but it’s pretty darned sucky. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/6 "2012-01-07T14:24:08Z")
No one in my company has either health or dental insurance. Not even the owners. So we pay nothing but get nothing. Well, OK, I have health insurance via a state program that I was in before I was hired. So yes, I have health insurance, but it’s not through my employer. For that, I pay 5% of my gross income per month. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/7 "2012-01-07T14:51:33Z")
I pay $250 a month for employee-only. $5,000 deductible. $25 co-pays. Mammograms subject to 20% co-insurance (so like $200 for a mammogram). Employees pay 40% of the premium. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/8 "2012-01-07T14:53:38Z")
Moved MPSIMS --\> IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/9 "2012-01-07T15:34:02Z")
It would be $85/month for me. but balloons to $550 when I add husband and child. We pay 20% of everything after $1200/person deductible. There is this idea that teachers get good benefits, but not for health care, at least not in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![highrollinwooded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@highrollinwooded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/highrollinwooded)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/10 "2012-01-07T16:01:00Z")
About $450.00/month for me and my husband for Hummana…rates go up every year!! ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/11 "2012-01-07T17:00:55Z")
I pay nothing. I work for a union and they put their money where their mouth is. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/12 "2012-01-07T17:11:16Z")
Neither my wife nor I have to contribute anything. We’ve got a $2,000 deductible, low copays, and a low out-of-pocket max. I guess I’ve been lucky, I haven’t had to pay anything towards my insurance for the last three jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/13 "2012-01-07T17:43:41Z")
My benefits deduction is about $3.50 per check and I’m paid every two weeks. Some of that is for the life insurance I carry on my boyfriend and myself. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/14 "2012-01-07T17:47:59Z")
Our auto shop provides dental insurance, and it’s a pretty decent package, covering the basics of dental care. And, it actually went down 10% in 2012, with no change in coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/15 "2012-01-07T17:54:13Z")
I am self-employed, so I don’t get group health insurance. Last quote I got, they wanted $700 a month for just myself, on really crappy catastrophic insurance, with high deductible and high co-insurance. Basically they pay nothing for preventative care, and half of hospitalization. For $700 a month. There are only three companies offering individual health insurance in New Hampshire, and their rates are, coincidentally, the same. I would kill for your insurance deal. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/16 "2012-01-07T17:59:03Z")
$200 a month for the spouse and I. We also have the kids health/dental/vision insured through Illinois All Kids at a subsidized rate; we pay $80 a month for two children. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/17 "2012-01-07T18:13:35Z")
$450 a month for the family. Our deductible is $1200/yr/member , $25 co-pay, and 15% of prescription cost. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/18 "2012-01-07T19:04:21Z")
$40 every two weeks for myself only. Dental insurance is a little strange: because of some state law and the fact that I’m under 25, I am still on my parents’ policy. ---
**Author:** ![Bloodless\_Turnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Bloodless\_Turnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloodless_Turnip)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/19 "2012-01-07T19:28:54Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I am self-employed, so I don’t get group health insurance. Last quote I got, they wanted $700 a month for just myself, on really crappy catastrophic insurance, with high deductible and high co-insurance. Basically they pay nothing for preventative care, and half of hospitalization. For $700 a month. > > There are only three companies offering individual health insurance in New Hampshire, and their rates are, coincidentally, the same. > > I would kill for your insurance deal. Yep. The only type I can afford is catastrophic coverage. Well actually, I can’t afford that either. Should I get ill, I’ll either die or file bankruptcy. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712/20 "2012-01-07T20:55:48Z")
My husband two kids and I are covered for $250 a month medical. Its a high deductible plan $1000 per person/$2000 per family 80% coverage, $10,000 per year out of pocket max. Dental is another $60, Vision another $20. I work for a Really Big Company. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-health-dental-insurance-at-work/608712.md?page=2)