BACKGROUND: Starting from a very low level, the number of Norwegian companies and individuals that buy private health insurance has increased during recent years. We ask: What characterizes companies that buy private health insurance? MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected through a postal survey to 2,500 companies with two or more employees during the spring of 2005. The response rate was 0.43. The probability of buying health insurance was analyzed by means of logistic regression. RESULTS: More than 80,000 individuals, or approximately 1.8% of the Norwegian population, bought private health insurance by the beginning of 2007. 75% were insured through collective insurance contracts through companies, while the rest had bought individual policies. The number of employees holding private health insurance through their employer comprised 2.5% of the total workforce. The probability for companies to buy private health insurance increased with the firm's profitability, by the share of younger employees and with the employees' average level of education. The probability of buying private health insurance is higher in branches with increased health risk such as agriculture and forestry, mining, building and constructions than in low risk branches. INTERPRETATION: We assume that future demand for private health insurance in Norway will depend on the tax incentives, waiting time to elective treatment and the companies' profit margins.
BACKGROUND: Starting from a very low level, the number of Norwegian companies and individuals that buy private health insurance has increased during recent years. We ask: What characterizes companies that buy private health insurance? MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected through a postal survey to 2,500 companies with two or more employees during the spring of 2005. The response rate was 0.43. The probability of buying health insurance was analyzed by means of logistic regression. RESULTS: More than 80,000 individuals, or approximately 1.8% of the Norwegian population, bought private health insurance by the beginning of 2007. 75% were insured through collective insurance contracts through companies, while the rest had bought individual policies. The number of employees holding private health insurance through their employer comprised 2.5% of the total workforce. The probability for companies to buy private health insurance increased with the firm's profitability, by the share of younger employees and with the employees' average level of education. The probability of buying private health insurance is higher in branches with increased health risk such as agriculture and forestry, mining, building and constructions than in low risk branches. INTERPRETATION: We assume that future demand for private health insurance in Norway will depend on the tax incentives, waiting time to elective treatment and the companies' profit margins.