A new report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based on analysis conducted by SHADAC researchers, shows how the two recessions that Americans have weathered in the first decade of the 21st century have taken a tremendous toll on people's ability to afford health insurance and employers' capacity to offer it."Barely Hanging On: Middle-Class and Uninsured," documents that while the situation has been tough for everyone, it's America's middle class that has been hardest hit.
The report shows that the number of middle-income earners who obtained health insurance from their employers dropped by 3 million people from 2000 to 2008. Just 66 percent of people in families earning roughly $45,000 to $85,000 are now insured through their employer - a drop of seven percentage points from 2000 to 2008.