Issue Briefs

Not surprisingly, the percentage of the nonelderly (under age 65) without employment-based health insurance coverage has grown during the recession, according to a study published today by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). But in addition, for those who still have employment-based health insurance, deductibles and co-payments for office visits also have increased. EBRI Issue Brief May 4, 2010 24 pages

Since the vast majority of Americans who have health coverage get it through their jobs, one obvious question raised by the health reform legislation pending in Congress is: How might it affect the U.S. employment-based health benefits system? At a recent day-long conference sponsored by EBRI, more than a dozen experts from a wide range of specialties found consensus on one point: Imposing a tax on health benefits (such as the proposed tax on so-called “Cadillac” health plans) is likely to cause major cuts in health benefits and might result in structural changes in the employment-based benefits system. EBRI Issue Brief Feb 16, 2010 24 pages

Health insurance reform legislation pending in Congress would have a mixed impact on retiree health benefits, according to a study published today by EBRI. In the short term, some provisions of the legislation would help bolster early retiree coverage, while in the longer term other provisions could create significant incentives for employers to drop retiree coverage. EBRI Issue Brief Jan 1, 2010 20 pages

Individuals in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) are more likely than those with traditional coverage to exhibit a number of cost-conscious behaviors, to be more engaged in wellness programs, and to be more inclined to think that financial incentives matter in holding down costs, according to a new survey by EBRI. At the same time, the fifth annual survey found that satisfaction levels for individuals in traditional health plans were higher again this year than for those in consumer-driven plans. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 1, 2009 44 pages

As Congress prepares to debate a major overhaul of the nation’s health care system, Americans already have formed opinions in support of several proposals to expand coverage that have been part of the preliminary discussion, according to the 12th annual Health Confidence Survey. But attitudes could change as the public learns more about the details. EBRI Issue Brief Jul 1, 2009 20 pages

A key element being discussed as part of health reform—the creation of a health insurance exchange that would offer new forms of insurance pooling, combined with an individual mandate and guaranteed issue—would restructure the health insurance market and has major implications for the existing employment-based benefits system that provides the majority of Americans with health coverage, according to a new study by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Jun 9, 2009 24 pages

This new study by EBRI examines implications for employers and workers involved in capping the tax exclusion for employment-based health coverage, an issue that could come up during this year’s expected debate over overhauling the nation’s health care system. EBRI Issue Brief Jan 14, 2009 20 pages

Enrollment in consumer-directed or high-deductible health plans eligible for a tax-preferred savings account increased to 9.8 million adults this year, with participants more likely to have higher incomes and be in better health than those with traditional health coverage, according to survey results released by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). EBRI Issue Brief Nov 18, 2008 44 pages

The percentage of the non-elderly population (under age 65) with health insurance coverage increased to 82.8 percent in 2007. While the percentage of the non-elderly population with employment-based health benefits was unchanged between 2006 and 2007, and the percentage with public coverage increased, resulting in a decrease in the uninsured, this should not be viewed as an indicator of things to come in 2008. EBRI Issue Brief Sep 9, 2008 36 pages

The current trend in health care design toward “consumer-driven” health plans illustrates the same trend seen in 401(k) plans where benefit decision-making and responsibility have shifted from the employer to the worker. This report looks at lessons learned in the retirement realm with respect to offering workers choice, financial incentives, and more information and education. This is compared with the early evolution of consumer-driven health plans, which are still being driven solely by the market and not by legislation. EBRI Issue Brief Aug 12, 2008 28 pages