Issue Briefs

Access Issues by Type of Health Plan: Many American have difficulty getting access to health care services regardless of their type of health plan, according to a new report by EBRI.

Impact of Eligibility for Participation in a 401(k) Plan: Eligibility for participation in a workplace 401(k) savings plan is one of the single-most important factors in closing the retirement savings gap for Generation X, according to a new report by EBRI.

EBRI Notes Jun 14, 2012 24 pages

As more American senior citizens are entering nursing homes they face the likelihood that their household wealth will be quickly depleted, according to new research by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Jun 12, 2012 20 pages

The average IRA balance is about a third higher and the median (mid-point) balance is almost 42 percent larger when multiple individual retirement accounts (IRAs) owned by an individual are taken into account, according to a new report by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief May 30, 2012 20 pages

Retirement Income Adequacy: Roughly 44 percent of Baby Boomers and Generation Xers are projected to lack adequate retirement income to cover basic expenses and uninsured health care costs, according to the latest estimates by EBRI.

Employment-based Coverage: A new report by EBRI, which looks at month-by-month health coverage rates before, during, and after the recession, finds that a brief uptick in employment-based coverage immediately after the recession has not endured: The percentage of workers with employment-based health coverage continues to shrink.

EBRI Notes May 23, 2012 20 pages

Consumer-driven Health Plans: Those enrolled in “consumer-driven” health plans tend to have higher incomes, higher educational levels, and report better health behavior than do those in traditional health plans, according to a new report by EBRI that examines trends over the 2005–2011 period. Press release.

Elderly Poverty Rates: Between 2005–2009, the rate of poverty among American seniors rose as they aged, as did the number of new entrants into poverty, according to a new report by EBRI. Poverty rates fell in the first half of the last decade for almost all age groups of older Americans (age 50 or older), though they increased since 2005 for every age group. Press release.

EBRI Notes Apr 26, 2012 20 pages

Most Americans get their health coverage through their jobs, but new research from EBRI shows that fewer workers have access to this benefit. EBRI Issue Brief Apr 24, 2012 36 pages

401(k) Tax Treatment: A recent proposal to change the tax preferences for employment-based 401(k) retirement plans could result in an average reduction in 401(k) account balances of between 6-22 percent at Social Security normal retirement age for workers currently ages 26-35, according to new research by EBRI. Reductions could be even greater for participants in small 401(k) plans.

Health Coverage of Part-time Workers: In the wake of the economic recession, the number of part-time workers who lack health insurance is increasing, according to new research from EBRI.

EBRI Notes Mar 20, 2012 28 pages

Americans’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement is stagnant at historically low levels in the face of more immediate financial concerns about job uncertainty and debt, according to the 22nd annual Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS), the longest-running annual survey of its kind in the nation. EBRI Issue Brief Mar 13, 2012 36 pages

Older Americans Remaining in the Work Force: The percentage of older Americans (ages 55 or older) in the work force remained at its recent highs in 2011, according to a new report by EBRI. This trend is almost exclusively due to the increase of women in the work force; the male workforce participation rate is flat to declining. Press release

Employer and Worker Contributions to Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements, 2006–2011: A detailed look confirms that older Americans (50 or above) spend less in retirement, and that home-related expenses remain the top spending category. But health costs are the second-biggest expense for older Americans, and data show that demographic sub-groups such as singles, blacks, and high school dropouts are outspending their resources in retirement, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release

EBRI Notes Feb 16, 2012 20 pages

A detailed look confirms that older Americans (50 or above) spend less in retirement, and that home-related expenses remain the top spending category. But health costs are the second-biggest expense for older Americans, and data show that demographic sub-groups such as singles, blacks, and high school dropouts are outspending their resources in retirement, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). EBRI Issue Brief Feb 14, 2012 28 pages