Squeezed: how costs for insuring families are outpacing income : a state-by-state analysis Squeezed: how costs for insuring families are outpacing income : a state-by-state analysis

Collection: Health Policy and Services Research Contributor(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. State Health Access Data Assistance Center, University of Minnesota. Publication: [Minneapolis, Minn.] : State Health Access Data Assistance Center, University of Minnesota, [2008] Language(s): English Format: Text Subject(s): Costs and Cost Analysis -- statistics & numerical data Fees and Charges Health Benefit Plans, Employee -- economics Insurance Coverage -- statistics & numerical data Insurance, Health -- statistics & numerical data United States Genre(s): Technical Report Abstract: This article reveals how the cost of family health insurance nationwide is increasing dramatically for employees without anywhere near an equivalent increase in family income. If this trend continues, more workers are likely to become uninsured because of the expense. As part of Cover the Uninsured Week (April 27-May 3), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation commissioned the University of Minnesota to prepare this comprehensive state-by-state analysis on the cost of family health insurance premiums as compared to income. The researchers used data from ongoing federal surveys of individuals and employers to examine trends in employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, premiums and offer rates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They collected additional data on offer rates from the federal Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Insurance Component. Key Findings: (1) The amount workers pay for family coverage nationwide has increased by 30 percent from $8,281 in 2001 to $10,728 in 2005. (2) Employee income has increased by only 3 percent in the same time period. (3) The average cost employers pay for their share of family coverage has increased by 28 percent from $6,360 to $8,143. Copyright: Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY-NC-DC license. (More information) Extent: 10 leaves. NLM Unique ID: 101473204 (See catalog record) Permanent Link: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101473204