How to Get Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance

Who Pays for Coverage?

When you have employer-sponsored health insurance, your employer usually pays part of the monthly premiums and you pay part of the monthly premiums.

In most cases, your employer will pay most of the cost, though it varies.

Kaiser Family Foundation. 2023 employer health benefits survey.

Your share of the premiums gets taken out of your paycheck automatically. That means you don’t have to remember to pay the bill each month.

The payroll deduction is usually made before your income taxes are calculated. That means you’re don't have to pay income taxes on the money that you spent on health insurance premiums.

With job-based health insurance, your employer usually doesn't help you pay cost-sharing expenses like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

However, some employers offer savings plans like Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, or Health Reimbursement Arrangements.