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Narrow Provider Networks for Employer Plans

So-called “narrow provider networks,” which limit covered health providers in health plans, do not appear to be crossing over rapidly from the Affordable Care Act’s health exchanges into employment-based health plans, according to a new analysis by EBRI and Mark A. Hall, J.D., Wake Forest University, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Changes in Health Care Financing & Organization (HCFO) Initiative. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 14, 2016 20 pages

Another Year After the Current Population Survey Redesign and More Questions About the Survey’s Retirement Plan Participation Estimates

The U.S. Census Bureau’s widely used Current Population Survey (CPS), which two years ago underwent a major redesign of the questions pertaining to income, appears to be resulting in a significant undercounting of how many people participate in an employment-based retirement plan, according to a new analysis by EBRI. Press release. EBRI Notes Nov 21, 2016 16 pages

Innovations in Employee Engagement in Health

Employment-based health insurance is the primary source of health coverage in the United States, and as health plans continue to evolve, health plan sponsors continue to look for ways to get their workers more directly involved in their own health care. To highlight new work on how employers are trying to increase individuals’ involvement in health—and why it’s important—EBRI devoted part of its 78th policy forum in May to the topic of “Innovations in Employee Engagement in Health,” which is summarized in this article. Press release. EBRI Notes Aug 31, 2016 12 pages

2014 Update of the EBRI IRA Database: IRA Balances, Contributions, Rollovers, Withdrawals, and Asset Allocation

What’s the average balance of an individual retirement account (IRA)? New research by EBRI shows that it matters how you count. For instance, looking just at the balance per account, the average amount was just over $100,000 in 2014, the latest data available. But if you look at the total IRA balance per individual IRA owner, the average amount was almost $127,600—almost a third higher. EBRI Issue Brief Aug 25, 2016 48 pages

Reducing Retirement Savings Leakage

A recurring issue with defined contribution (DC) savings plans such as the 401(k) is the risk of “leakage”--preretirement reductions in plan savings by workers, either through loans, hardship withdrawals, or payouts at job change. EBRI’s spring policy forum, attended by about a hundred benefits experts, highlighted new work on leakage as part of its session on “Retirement Challenges and Reforms.” Press release. EBRI Notes Aug 9, 2016 8 pages

Health Insurance Coverage in California in 2013 and 2014, After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

Enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 had the effect of significantly increasing health coverage for historically uninsured groups in California, such as young adults, lower-income, Hispanics, and small-business and self-employed workers between 2013-2014, after key provisions took effect, according to new research by EBRI. Press release. EBRI Notes Jul 26, 2016 8 pages

What Moves the Retirement Readiness Needle: Quantification of Risk and Evaluation of New Proposals

With the United States facing an estimated national retirement savings shortfall of $4.13 trillion, how can more Americans be brought into a retirement savings plan, and how can they be persuaded to save enough to cover expected costs in retirement? Those questions were explored by a panel of retirement experts at EBRI’s 77th policy forum held Dec. 10, 2015, focusing on policy proposals aimed at increasing private-sector retirement plan coverage and possible improvements to retirement plan designs by sponsors of retirement plans. Press release. EBRI Notes Apr 27, 2016 16 pages

The Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans

Even though Congress recently enacted a two-year delay in the so-called “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), private-sector employers are already starting to prepare for it and some workers are already feeling its effects. To clarify what the tax would do and how employers and health-plan sponsors are reacting to it, EBRI held a policy forum on Dec. 10, 2015, attended by about a hundred health experts and other benefits professionals, to discuss “The Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans,” which is summarized here. Press release. EBRI Notes Mar 23, 2016 12 pages