Employer health benefits less prevalent in Arizona

Arizona employers are among the most frugal in the country in terms of health benefits.

The Phoenix Business Journal reported fewer Arizona employers offered health benefits than most in the nation, though along with 47 other states, Arizona saw a massive decline in employer-sponsored coverage between 2000 and 2011.

According to the report, 159 million Americans had employee benefits in 2011, 11.5 million less than 2000.

With 45 to 49 percent of Arizona employers offering health benefits, Arizona was the sixth worst place for employee coverage, topped by Florida, Montana, Idaho, Nebraska and Wyoming.