Issue Briefs

Self-Insured Health Plans: Large private-sector employers are driving a trend toward more “self-insured” health plans, according to a new report by EBRI.

Retirement Readiness: Among those who are likely to miss their retirement savings goal, how many will be close? And how many will miss it by a mile? According to a new report by EBRI, nearly half of Generation X households will have enough to cover basic retirement costs, and about a third will fall short—but not by much. About 20 percent are likely to be far off-target.

EBRI Notes Nov 29, 2012 24 pages

As the economy slowly recovered from the recent recession, American workers’ participation in employment-based retirement plans stabilized, according to a new report by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Nov 27, 2012 44 pages

Health savings: Projections for how much elderly Americans need to save for out-of-pocket health care in retirement have edged lower, due to a provision the federal health reform law that will cover more of their prescription drug costs, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.

IRAs: The investment allocation of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) varies by a variety of factors, but the asset allocation differences between genders was minimal, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.

EBRI Notes Oct 25, 2012 24 pages

A growing number of workers are realizing they will not get retiree health care from their employer after they stop working, according to a new report by EBRI. While earlier research found little impact from reductions in coverage on current retirees, EBRI finds that initial changes employers made to retiree health benefits affected future retirees as opposed to then-current retirees. Over time, more and more retirees have “aged into” those program changes, resulting in the greater impact found in more recent studies. EBRI Issue Brief Oct 23, 2012 24 pages

The uninsured rate for working-age Americans ticked down in 2011, but only because public program coverage grew faster than employment-based health insurance coverage declined, according to a new report by EBRI. While employment-based health coverage is still the dominant source of health insurance in the United States, it has been steadily shrinking since 2000. EBRI Issue Brief Sep 27, 2012 36 pages

Although fewer American families are participating in a retirement plan at work, more of those with a plan are in a 401(k). At the same time, ownership of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) is falling, according to a new report by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Sep 26, 2012 28 pages

Health Confidence Survey: The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) appears to have have had little impact on Americans' confidence about their health care, according to a new report by EBRI.

401(k) Contributions: Setting a higher starting point for 401(k) contributions would make a significant difference in improving workers’ likelihood of a financially viable retirement, according to new research by EBRI.

EBRI Notes Sep 25, 2012 24 pages

Health Care Satisfaction: Satisfaction levels are rising among people enrolled in “consumer-driven” health plans, while they are declining among those in traditional health plans, according to a new report by EBRI. Dissatisfaction with out-of-pocket costs may be driving overall satisfaction trends.

Working to 70?: Contrary to some reports that working just a little bit longer—to age 70—will allow between 80 and 90 percent of households to have adequate income in retirement, new research by EBRI shows that for approximately one-third of the households between the ages of 30 and 59 in 2007 that won’t be enough.

EBRI Notes Aug 30, 2012 24 pages

Workers routinely rank their employment-based health coverage as the most important benefit they receive, followed by a retirement plan—but the tax preferences that support them are drawing increased scrutiny. Drawing from presentations at EBRI’s 70th biannual policy forum, this Issue Brief examines the implications, costs, and consequences of changes to federal tax preferences for private-sector employment-based benefits. EBRI Issue Brief Aug 28, 2012 24 pages

Federal health care reform legislation and the desire of employers to limit their health insurance costs are likely to fuel interest in so-called “defined contribution” health benefits and private health insurance exchanges, according to a new report by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Jul 19, 2012 24 pages