Municipal Employees' Health Insurance vs. State and Federal

Future of Capitalism:

The Boston Globe reports: "Health insurance plans to cover city and town employees cost 37 percent more than similar plans for workers at private companies, mostly because municipal employees pay minimal copayments or deductibles when they get care, according to a new statewide survey."

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The report, which focused on 14 municipalities, found that city and town workers typically pay only $11 to see their primary care physician, half the amount typically paid by workers in the state, federal, and private sectors.

The report also found that nine of the 14 municipalities studied charge no copayment for most other medical services, including high-tech imaging such as an MRIs, outpatient surgery, and inpatient hospitalization, the three largest drivers of medical cost increases, the report says.

By contrast, private workers pay $75 for high-tech imaging, $150 for outpatient surgery, and $250 for inpatient hospitalization, the report found.