The rising cost of health care benefits is posing a serious threat to municipal budgets. Despite the seriousness of this challenge, public administration has paid little attention to the subject of municipal health care benefits. This article seeks to remedy this situation by presenting findings from a comprehensive national survey. The findings address the types of health care plans in use, the types of benefits available, the costs of benefits, satisfaction levels, and complaints. We hope that these findings will serve as a first step toward the development of a new knowledge base that can help to guide future decisions.
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