New Poll Supports Center Research

According to the Michigan Information & Research Service's Capitol Capsule (subscription required), a new poll by EPIC/MRA shows 57 percent of voters favor a plan that would require government employees to pay 20 percent of the cost of their own health insurance premiums.

According to Mike Van Beek, education policy director for the Center, the average Michigan family pays about 22 percent of the cost of premiums on an insurance plan that costs on average $11,300. The average Michigan teacher, however, pays about 4 percent toward a plan that costs on average $15,800. Teachers in more than 300 districts statewide (out of 551) pay nothing toward the cost of their own health insurance premiums. You can locate detailed information about each school district at our Michigan School District Health Insurance database.

Public-sector employees in Michigan, including local and state government workers, enjoy benefits totaling some $5.7 billion a year more than they would receive if they were compensated at private-sector rates, according to research by Center analysts.