Issue Briefs

This report by EBRI provides a detailed summary of what is known about consumer-driven health plans, a relatively new option for paying for medical expenses that first began to appear nearly a decade ago. Consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) consist of both health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs). The EBRI report examines trends in offer rates and enrollment, differences in premiums between CDHPs and other types of insurance, and discusses the drivers of the premium differences. EBRI Issue Brief Aug 4, 2010 28 pages

The first report presents new EBRI findings that the dependent-child mandate under the new health reform law may increase premiums and that estimates of  the size of the population that might enroll in their parents’ employment-based coverage may be understated. Press release The second report summarizes new research and discussion at EBRI's May 2010 policy forum. Press release. EBRI Notes Aug 3, 2010 20 pages

TDFs: The use of target-date funds, a relatively new 401(k) plan option, is more likely among participants who are younger, have lower account balances, and have shorter tenure at their current job, according to a study released by EBRI. Press release. Early Retiree Program: This article finds that if the PPACA early retiree subsidy were drawn down for all early retirees and their dependents, $2.5 billion of the $5 billion available would be exhausted in the first year of the program. The $5 billion would last no more than two years and would not be available in 2012 or 2013. Press release. EBRI Notes Jul 15, 2010 16 pages

With Americans living longer in retirement, the 2010 EBRI Retirement Readiness Rating™ shows dramatically high percentages of Americans—even in the upper-income categories—are likely to run short of money after 10 or 20 years of retirement. The new analysis by EBRI finds that almost two-thirds (64 percent) of Americans in the two lowest preretirement income levels will be running short after 10 years in retirement. However, the EBRI study also finds that after 20 years of retirement, almost a third (29 percent) of those in the next-to-highest income level will run short of money, as will more than 1 in 10 (13 percent) of those in the highest-income level. EBRI Issue Brief Jul 13, 2010 36 pages

Social Security was the largest source of income for those currently age 65 and older, accounting for nearly 40 percent of their income on average, in 2008, according to a study released today by EBRI. However, the importance of Social Security varied widely, with the lowest income group very heavily dependent on the federal retirement program compared with those who have high incomes. Press release EBRI Notes Jun 3, 2010 16 pages

Assets in health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), two relatively new employment-based health benefit plan options , have grown in recent years and totaled $7.1 billion in 2009, up from $835.4 million three years earlier, according to a study by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). In addition, the number of accounts in these plans, collectively known as consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), also was up during the same period—totaling 5 million in 2009, up from 1.2 million in 2006. EBRI Issue Brief Jun 1, 2010 32 pages

Assets in individual account retirement plan assets are concentrated in families with a set of common characteristics—higher net worth, higher family income, higher educational attainment, with older family heads, and with white, non-Hispanic heads, according to a study released by EBRI. Press release EBRI Notes May 6, 2010 20 pages

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

New research from the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) finds that auto-enrollment of participants in 401(k) plans is likely to be most beneficial to young and low-income workers, although high-income workers are likely to benefit from it as well. It also confirms earlier results that large employers adopting auto-enrollment have significantly increased the employer “match” to their workers’ own 401(k) contributions. EBRI Issue Brief Apr 1, 2010 24 pages

Health savings accounts (HSAs) are likely to play a minor part in savings for health care costs in retirement, according to a report issued by EBRI. That’s because both statutory contribution limits and currently low interest rates constrain the amount HSAs are able to generate, compared with the large amount needed to pay for retiree health expenses. Press release EBRI Notes Apr 1, 2010 12 pages