June 28, 2011: A new SHADAC report analyzes state-level trends in employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI).
The report finds that the majority of non-elderly Americans continue to have health insurance coverage through an employer (whether as the policyholder or as a dependent), but the percentage of the population covered by ESI from 69 percent in 1999/2000 to 61 percent in 2008/2009, with 7.3 million people nationwide losing ESI. This decline was influenced by various factors including changing employment patterns and rising premiums.
The report finds substantial variation across states in ESI prevalence, availability, and costs—along with the factors that influence the level of ESI coverage—so the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on ESI should be monitored and evaluated at the state level. Particular attention should be paid to the impact of the ACA on dependents and to the state-level trends in ESI by firm size over time.
Read the full report or select a state to view state-specific ESI fact sheets.