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Implications of Health Reform for Retiree Health Benefits

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

Findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey

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

Employment-Based Retirement Plan Participation: Geographic Differences and Trends, 2008

Participation in employment-based retirement plans decreased by small amounts for most categories of workers in 2008, but those with the strongest connection to the work force experienced the smallest decline: 0.5 percentage point, according to a study released by the EBRI. Additional decreases are possible in 2009–2010, depending on economic trends, the study adds. Press release EBRI Issue Brief Nov 5, 2009 40 pages

'Availability, Contributions, Account Balances, and Rollovers in Account-Based Health Plans, 2006–2009'and'Retirement Plan Participation and Asset Allocation, 2007'

Among the roughly 4 percent of covered Americans who have so-called “consumer-driven” health plans, contributions to the plans by their employers are shifting: Workers with employee-only coverage have seen their annual employer contributions decrease, while those with family coverage have seen their annual employer contributions increase, according to a new survey released by EBRI. Press release EBRI Notes Nov 3, 2009 24 pages

“Debt of the Elderly and Near Elderly, 1992–2007,” and “The Relationship Between Union Status and Employment-Based Health Benefits”

Debt levels of those in or near retirement age are heading up: Among elderly families—and especially among the lower-income elderly—housing debt in particular is rising, according to a new study by EBRI. For some age groups, a significant percentage has debt levels beyond the threshold considered problematic. Press release EBRI Notes Oct 8, 2009 24 pages

401(k) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2008

American workers who held 401(k) accounts consistently from 2003 through 2008 suffered a 24.3 percent average drop in their account balance during 2008’s bear market, according to a report released today by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI). These consistent participants saw their average account balances increase at an annual rate of 7.2 percent over five years, even after the 2008 losses, according to the study. The account balances include ongoing worker contributions, employer contributions, and investment gains and losses. Press release EBRI Issue Brief Oct 6, 2009 68 pages