To understand the true cost of health care premiums in the us talk to those having to carry cobra or secure insurance outside their employment. When I worked there, and talking to others that worked there, the employee paid roughly 20% and the company paid the rest. These were large(r) companies so I look to others for what smaller companies or part-time employers pay or provide. As this article points out somewhat verbosely, health insurance balances the lower tax rates in the us. Social security taxes and benefits are also higher in the us than, say, Canada which also balances the aggregate deduction percentage.