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Who Participates in Vision Care Plans?
UNION WORKERS LEAD THE LIST

Employer-sponsored vision care plans cover 19% of all U.S. workers employed in private industry, according to data released by the Department of Labor. However, participation in the plans varies widely among employee characteristics. For example: 

• 37% of all union workers participate in a vision plan, vs. 17% for non-union workers. 
• 25% of the workers in goods-producing jobs participate in vision plans, while 17% of those in service-producing jobs participate.
• 19% of workers at small companies (one to 99 workers) participated in the plans compared to 27% of the workers at larger companies.
• Vision plan participation rates also varied by region (see chart).

In terms of other benefits, 45% of employees in private industry participate in a medical care plan, and 32% participate in a dental care plan. Participation in medical care plans among private industry workers has dropped 18%, from 63% during the 1992-1993 period.

The large majority of medical care plans require employee contributions, which average $228.98 per month for families and $60.24 for single coverage. Contributions have risen about 75% over the past decade.