Union workers more likely than nonunion workers to have healthcare benefits in 2019

Ninety-five percent of civilian union workers and 68 percent of nonunion workers had access to employer-provided healthcare benefits in March 2019. Access means the benefit is available to employees, regardless of whether they chose to participate. Eighty-four percent of union workers and 54 percent of nonunion workers participated in an employer-sponsored healthcare plan. The take-up rates—the share of workers with access who participate in the plan—were 88 percent for union workers and 79 percent for nonunion workers.

Chart Image

Chart Data Healthcare benefit access, participation, and take-up rates for union and nonunion civilian workers, March 2019 Healthcare plan type and measure Union Nonunion Healthcare access 95% 68% Healthcare participation 84 54 Healthcare take-up rate 88 79 Medical care access 94 68 Medical care participation 75 48 Medical care take-up rate 80 71 Dental care access 74 40 Dental care participation 62 31 Dental care take-up rate 84 77 Vision care access 56 23 Vision care participation 48 18 Vision care take-up rate 85 79 Outpatient prescription drug coverage access 93 67 Outpatient prescription drug coverage participation 74 47 Outpatient prescription drug coverage take-up rate 80 71

Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, and vision care benefits, and outpatient prescription drug coverage. Medical care and outpatient prescription drug coverage were the most common healthcare benefits available to both union and nonunion workers.

About three-quarters of union workers had access to dental benefits and more than half had access to vision care benefits. Among nonunion workers, 40 percent had access to dental benefits and 23 percent had access to vision care benefits.

These data are from the National Compensation Survey — Benefits program. For more information, see Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2019.

RELATED ARTICLES Union workers more likely than nonunion workers to have retirement benefits in 2019