How much do employers pay in medical premium per covered person?
Updated plan years 2023–2025 loaded
The median fully insured employer medical plan paid $7,274 of premium per covered person in plan year 2024, computed on 6,311 Form 5500 Schedule A contracts covering 50 or more people. By employer size: 100-199 participants $7,424, 200-499 participants $7,362, 500-999 participants $6,843, 1,000-4,999 participants $6,939, 5,000+ participants $7,207.
| Employer size (participants) | Median premium per person | Contracts |
|---|---|---|
| 100-199 | $7,424 | 2,677 |
| 200-499 | $7,362 | 2,229 |
| 500-999 | $6,843 | 655 |
| 1,000-4,999 | $6,939 | 492 |
| 5,000+ | $7,207 | 258 |
Source: DOL Form 5500 and Schedule A, plan year 2024; data built October 24, 2026. Employer health plans with 100 or more participants. Full methodology.
Is this the employee's cost?
No. It is total earned premium divided by people covered at year end, which includes the employer's share and dependents. It does not show the split between employer and employee contributions, which Form 5500 does not report.
Why are self-funded employers excluded?
Self-funded plans pay claims from their own assets and report no medical premium on Schedule A, only stop-loss and administrative contracts, so there is no premium to divide.