According to March 2007 data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, among the four regions of the United States, the average cost per hour to employers for health insurance benefits ranges from $1.59 to $2.04.

The Compensation Cost Trends program reports that the proportion of total compensation represented by health benefits was 6.7 percent in the West, 6.9 percent in the South and Northeast, and 7.8 percent in the Midwest.

Nationwide, the average cost for health benefits was $1.83 per hour worked, accounting for 7.1 percent of total compensation.?