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“What to Expect During Open-Enrollment Season: Findings From the SHRM/EBRI 2014 Health Benefits Survey,” and “History of the Employee Benefit Research Institute, Part 1”

Open Enrollment: Few employers plan to eliminate or make major changes in their health care benefits in the near future—but changes are inevitable, especially the growth of wellness programs designed to address worker risks and behaviors, which drive chronic conditions, and account for a large percentage of overall spending, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release

History of EBRI: This is the first part of a history of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), which was created 37 years ago.

EBRI Notes Dec 16, 2014 16 pages

"Views on the Value of Voluntary Workplace Benefits: Findings from the 2014 Health and Voluntary Workplace Benefits Survey," and "The Gap Between Expected and Actual Retirement: Evidence From Longitudinal Data"

Retiree health savings: The vast majority of workers say their benefits package is important to their decision to take a job, as supported by the high take-up rates when benefits are offered, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.

Retirement gap: Among the victims of the "Great Recession" of 2008?2009 was the retirement expectations of many Americans. New research from EBRI has quantified just how much those hopes suffered. Press release.

EBRI Notes Nov 18, 2014 24 pages

“Amount of Savings Needed for Health Expenses for People Eligible for Medicare: Good News Not So Rare Anymore,” and “IRA Asset Allocation, 2012, and Longitudinal Results, 2010-2012”

Projected savings targets: American elderly need to cover their health care costs in retirement continue to decline, due in part to enhanced prescription drug coverage provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), according to new modeling by EBRI. Press release.

IRAs: Almost 60 percent of individual retirement account (IRA) owners have their savings in an “extreme” investment allocation in 2012, meaning less than 10 percent or more than 90 percent in a particular investment category, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.  

EBRI Notes Oct 29, 2014 28 pages

“How Does Household Expenditure Change With Age for Older Americans?” and “2014 Health and Voluntary Workplace Benefits Survey: Most Workers Continue to be Satisfied With Their Own Health Plan, but Growing Number Give Low Ratings to Health Care Syste ..

Older Americans: Although health expenses increase steadily with age, and remain a cause of concern, home and home-related expenses are the largest spending category for older Americans, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.

Workplace Benefits Survey: Although American workers rank their own health care highly, their opinion of the overall U.S. health care system is low and continues to fall, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.

EBRI Notes Sep 18, 2014 20 pages

Quality of Health Care After Adopting a Full-Replacement, High-Deductible Health Plan With a Health Savings Account: A Five-Year Study

With an ever-growing number of workers covered by health savings account (HSA)-eligible health plans, how does use of health care services used to measure quality compare with traditional managed care? New research from EBRI finds a mixed bag: Depending on the health care service, HSA-plans could result in higher or lower use, and in some cases no change whatsoever. EBRI Issue Brief Sep 16, 2014 20 pages

“Satisfaction With Health Coverage and Care: Findings from the 2013 EBRI/Greenwald & Associates Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey,” and “Contributory 'Negligence?' The Impact of Future Contributions to Defined Contribution Plans on Retirement ..

Health Plans: Who’s happier with their health plan—those in “traditional” managed care plans, or those in so-called “consumer-driven” and high-deductible plans? The latest data from EBRI show that the overall satisfaction rate among consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) enrollees is gradually increasing, while it is gradually decreasing among traditional enrollees.

Gen Xers: Are Gen Xers in worse shape than the Baby Boom generation when it comes to having enough money for retirement? Not if you take into account future contributions and the current trends in automatic plan design features, according to a new report by EBRI.

EBRI Notes Aug 14, 2014 28 pages

"Crisis" Management: Uncertainty and the Workplace

With major changes sweeping both health and retirement plans in the private sector, are employment-based benefits facing a “crisis” or merely an uncertain future? A recent industry-wide forum sponsored by EBRI brought together a variety of experts to focus on the issue and the challenges ahead. EBRI Issue Brief Aug 12, 2014 20 pages

What Does Consistent Participation in 401(k) Plans Generate? Changes in 401(k) Account Balances, 2007–2012

The average account balance of workers who participated consistently in a 401(k) plan from year-end 2007 to year-end 2012 increased at a compound average annual growth rate of 6.8 percent during that period, despite a 34.7 percent drop in that group’s average 401(k) account balance in 2008, according to a new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI). The increase in account balances reflects several factors, including employer and worker contributions, investment returns, withdrawals, and loans. EBRI Issue Brief Jul 31, 2014 28 pages

“Lifetime Accumulations and Tax Savings from HSA Contributions” and “IRA Withdrawals in 2012 and Longitudinal Results, 2010–2012”

HSAs: With an ever-increasing number of Americans gaining access to health savings accounts (HSAs) via their employment-based health plan, how much could they accumulate for health care expenses in these accounts? The answer depends on how much is contributed to the HSA—a tax-exempt trust or custodial account that an individual can open and use to pay his or her health care expenses—as well as how much is withdrawn, and what the investment return and fees on the HSA are, according to new research by EBRI. Press release.

IRAs: Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are a vital component of U.S. retirement savings, representing approximately one-quarter of all retirement assets in the nation. But as a growing number of Americans head into retirement, how much are they withdrawing from these accounts—and will it last? Press release

EBRI Notes Jul 29, 2014 24 pages