Just for the record, I'm a state employee, single with no dependents. Currently, because I participate in a program with a health coach, I get a discounted rate of 1.5% of my pay deducted for my share of my health benefits. Not a flat rate, and if I stop participating in the program, the rate shoots up; I'm not sure to what, because I have always participated. This is what our union negotiated for us a couple contracts or so ago. A very close friend of mine works for the Federal government, with one dependent, and is paying somewhere around $300 monthly for his benefits. So, no, not even government employees get free healthcare anymore. At least not state or Federal employees. And for the record, both jobs in question are professional-level jobs which typically require either a degree or several years' experience. Also for the record, for the most part, I enjoy my job, and consider myself extremely lucky to get off as easy as I do with my payroll deduction, lest anyone think I'm complaining. I'm not, I'm just offering information.