Why does employee+spouse cost so much more than employee or even employee+children health insurance coverage?

I'm enrolling in the health plan at my new job and my cost per pay period is 10x higher if I elect employee+spouse over just employee coverage and 5x higher than employee+children. Just curious if anyone in the know (or in the biz - ha!) can explain why adding one person adds so much to the price and furthermore, why one spouse costs more than (theoretically) a whole slew of children.Why does employee+spouse cost so much more than employee or even employee+children health insurance coverage?Because the employer kicks in the most money, towards just the employee's premium.



It's not that the price is actually HIGHER, it's that the employer pays less, towards the total.



And you can't add a whole slew of children - once you add more than one, you get "family" coverage, regardless of how many you add. When you add a spouse, you drastically increase the chances of maternity claims.Why does employee+spouse cost so much more than employee or even employee+children health insurance coverage?1) The employer pays most of the cost for the employee, and might also do so for the kids. You pay the entire cost for the spouse.



2) Employees who want employee plus spouse coverage are usually ones whose children are already grown and on their own insurance. These employees and their spouses tend to be older and in worse health. (Young employees who do not yet have children are usually either not married or married to someone employed with separate health insurance.)Why does employee+spouse cost so much more than employee or even employee+children health insurance coverage?Your employer pays part or most of your expense, when you add your family, they pay the full cost.

geronimo stilton