Health Coverage in an Economic Downturn: Impact of Tight Budgets on Families and States November 3, 2008 Fact Sheet The economic downturn has strained family finances and prompted some Americans to cut back on medications and forgo preventive care and visits to the doctor. At the same time, the downturn has triggered declines in tax revenue that inhibit states’ ability to meet rising Medicaid program costs as enrollment spikes…
Pulling It Together: Moving Away From Employer Based Coverage: Don’t Forget Public Opinion June 25, 2008 Perspective One of the underlying big issues in the unfolding health reform debate is whether most Americans should continue to get insurance through work where they get it today, or purchase it themselves in the individual private health insurance marketplace. Senator McCain promotes moving to individual insurance and having individuals rather…
Snapshots: Offer Rates for Smaller Establishments by Business Age May 1, 2008 Issue Brief Employer-provided health insurance is the primary source of insurance coverage in the United States, covering almost 160 million people or more than 90 percent of the non-elderly privately-insured population.1 In recent years, the percentage of firms who offer such benefits has been falling; 69 percent offered health coverage benefits in 2000,…
How Private Health Coverage Works: A Primer – 2008 Update April 1, 2008 Issue Brief How Private Health Coverage Works: A Primer— 2008 UpdateThis primer explains the role and operations of private health coverage in the United States. Private health coverage is provided under a variety of different arrangements, including health insuring organizations regulated under state law and health plans sponsored by employers and employee organizations…
Changes in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Sponsorship, Eligibility, and Participation: 2001 to 2005, Full Report December 31, 2006 Report This report provides a detailed account of how employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) coverage changed between 2001 and 2005, particularly among employees (i.e., workers who are not self-employed). The report begins with a short description of the major forces driving employer-sponsored insurance: changes in the workforce and the rising costs of health…
Retiree Health Benefits Examined: Findings from the Kaiser/Hewitt 2006 Survey on Retiree Health Benefits November 30, 2006 Report This includes the full report on the 2006 Kaiser/Hewitt survey of large businesses that provide retiree health benefits to their workers. The Kaiser/Hewitt study, the fifth joint survey since 2002, analyzes responses from a non-probability sample of 302 businesses with 1,000 or more employees that offer retiree health benefits. These…
2006 Kaiser/Hewitt Retiree Health Benefits Survey November 30, 2006 Report The 2006 Kaiser/Hewitt survey of large businesses that provide retiree health benefits to their workers assesses their evolving responses to the new Medicare drug benefit in 2006. It also looks at the rising costs and changing benefits of retiree health coverage overall in 2006, as well as the outlook for…
Chartpack: Findings from the Kaiser/Hewitt 2006 Survey on Retiree November 30, 2006 Report Health BenefitsThis document presents key data from the 2006 Kaiser/Hewitt Survey on Retiree Health Benefits.Chartpack (.pdf)
National Survey of Enrollees in Consumer-Directed Health Plans November 1, 2006 Poll Finding This Kaiser survey looks at the views and experiences of people enrolled in consumer-directed health plans as compared to people with traditional health insurance. Consumer-directed plans, which involve high deductibles coupled with tax-preferred saving options that consumers can use to pay for their care out of pocket, are intended to…
Chartpack: National Survey of Enrollees in Consumer-Directed Health Plans November 1, 2006 Poll Finding This chart pack provides data and analysis from the National Survey of Enrollees in Consumer-Directed Health Plans conducted between June 21 and July 10, 2006. The survey looks at the views and experiences of people enrolled in consumer-directed health plans as compared to people with traditional health insurance.Chartpack (.pdf)