Health coverage in the recession

In a report released today, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) examines changes in employment-based health coverage during the recession that began in Dec. 2007. It uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), up to July 2009, with emphasis on changes that occurred between Sept. 2007 and April 2009. The findings include the following:

• Between Dec. 2007 and July 2009, the percentaqe of workers with coverage fell from 60.4% to 55.9%.
• The uninsured rate rose from 12.3% in May 2007 to 16.4% in July 2009.
• Deductibles and copayments for office visits and prescription drugs have been increasing.
• Demographically, those most likely to lose coverage were younger vs. older workers, Hispanic vs. white or black workers, and part-time vs. full-time workers.

The Impact of the Recession on Employment-Based Health Coverage, May 2010
      Issue Brief (pdf, 24pp/1.5MB)
      Executive Summary
      Press release, May 4, 2010