Ranked according to number of employees and dependents covered under employer-sponsored plans, most recent data available.
Published: November 20, 2006
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
The dental and vision plan industries are mature and stable, with a few large
companies dominating the markets and reporting slow growth in enrollments and
premiums.
The top three dental providers listed here provide coverage for 70
million employees and dependents; the top three vision providers cover 104
million. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 46 percent of all U.S.
workers have access to dental benefits and 29 percent have access to vision
benefits. Dental insurance premiums for employer-sponsored plans rose 2.7
percent in 2006 for single coverage and 3.7 percent for family coverage,
according to the National Association of Dental Plans.
Employer costs for dental
and vision plans remain low because both industries rely on high employee
co-pays, high volume and primary-care-only provisions. High overall benefits
costs, however, continue to fuel employer interest in converting traditional
employer-paid dental and vision plans into consumer-directed offerings, discount
plans and voluntary benefit plans. .
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