Study of Trends in Health Insurance

A new report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute examines trends in health insurance coverage and the factors that affect coverage, including the strength of the economy. "While the percentage of the non-elderly population with employment-based health benefits was unchanged between 2006 and 2007, and the percentage with public coverage increased, resulting in a decrease in the uninsured, this should not be viewed as an indicator of things to come in 2008," the authors note. "As compared with 2007, unemployment was higher in 2008, meaning fewer individuals will have access to health insurance through a job, and gas and food prices were higher, meaning more individuals will have to choose between health insurance coverage and basic necessities."