California among worst in providing health insurance through jobs

California employers lead the way in shedding company provided insurance..and the number of uninsured continues to grow...BD

The percentage of Californians who get health insurance through their jobs is among the lowest in the country, according to a study released Thursday. Nationwide, about 63 percent of Americans have health policies offered by their employers. But in California, only 55.7 percent of workers were covered through their jobs last year, making it the state with the fifth-lowest level of employer-sponsored coverage, according to the study by the Economic Policy Institute in Washington.

In California, the problem is worse due to the sheer size of the population and the fact a large number of residents work in jobs that typically do not offer health insurance, such as agriculture, hospitality and the service industry. "With productivity up and profits through the roof, employers are shedding coverage," he said. "The private sector, even under positive economic conditions, is failing to provide this vital part of our lives."

"Employer-based coverage is eroding in California, and the people being hit the hardest are working families in our communities," said Sarah Muller, associate policy director of Working Partnerships USA , a nonprofit labor research group based in San Jose. "If there is no statewide health reform to address these issues, a growing number of people will be uninsured."