Washington, The ranks of Americans with employment-based health insurance declined by more than 2 percentage points last year, according to a new analysis by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). EBRI’s calculations from recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that employment-based coverage remains the dominant source of health insurance, but continues to erode. Overall, the percentage of individuals under age 65 with employment-based coverage declined from 61.1 percent in 2008 to 59 percent in 2009 — its lowest level in the 15-year period between 1994 and 2009. The decline between 2008 and 2009 accelerated a long-term trend that has occurred during most years since 2000. Conversely, those in this group who did not have health insurance increased to 18.9 percent in 2009, up from 17.4 percent in 2008. “These trends are due to job losses resulting from the recent recession and the slow economic recovery, fewer workers being eligible for health insurance coverage, and more workers with coverage choosing to drop it,” said Paul Fronstin, author of the EBRI report. “With unemployment remaining high, these trends are almost certain to continue when the data are released for 2010.” Fronstin noted that fewer individuals are likely to be working this year (which means fewer with access to health benefits in the work place), and that federal COBRA subsidies that were meant to stem the erosion in employment-based coverage expired during the summer of 2010. “Coupled with uncertainty
Similar Posts:
- Health Insurance Costs Rise—But Workers’ Costs Rise More
- The 1980s vs. Now, Cont.
- Nevada Jobless Rate Still at Record High
- NFIB says June hiring is a ‘bust’ for small businesses
- Media Culpa? Coverage of Jobs vs. Deficit
