In the states I’ve worked for companies that paid the entire thing and I had no bill for insurance, and others that paid less. It is one of the things people consider when looking at a benefits package for an employer.

Health insurance for an individual is expensive. Even if you pick a plan that is cheaper, it is going to have a significantly higher deductible and out of pocket cost for care, and likely less flexibility in providers, medications, and covered services, so you can get less and spend more money before they even start paying. I checked individual plans through the same company that my employer-provided insurance is though, and for the same premium (my portion) the deductible is six times higher and the maximum out of pocket was over 4.5-times higher.

This isn’t necessarily because individuals are getting screwed by the insurers. Employers often pay a significant amount, $1000 or more isn’t unheard of. Usually people find out just how much when they leave a position, the employer offers them cobra coverage which lets them keep their insurance for a while but they have to pay the full amount, and it is a jaw-dropping number.