Health Affairs

Health Affairs, doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.4.w595 (Published online June 2, 2009) © 2009 by Project HOPE	New Online   Getting Health Reform Done   After the State of the Union   Incremental Reform   E-Health in Developing World   Most-Read Articles in 2009

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Trends In Underinsurance And The Affordability Of Employer Coverage, 2004-2007

Jon R. Gabel ^1*, Roland McDevitt ², Ryan Lore ³, Jeremy Pickreign ⁴, Heidi Whitmore ⁵, Tina Ding ⁶

¹ Jon Gabel is a senior fellow at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) in Bethesda, Maryland.
² Roland McDevitt is director of research for Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a benefit consulting firm in Arlington, Virginia.
³ Ryan Lore is a research associate at Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a benefit consulting firm in Arlington, Virginia.
⁴ Jeremy Pickreign is a research scientist, Health Policy and Evaluation, for NORC, based in Albany, NewYork.
⁵ Heidi Whitmore is a research scientist for NORC in Washington, D.C.
⁶ Tina Ding is an analyst, Research, for Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

^*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Based on simulated bill paying, this paper examines trends in comprehensiveness of coverage, out-of-pocket spending for medical services, underinsurance, and the affordability of employer-based insurance from 2004 to 2007. Data are from MarketScan medical claims and an annual survey of employer health benefits. Health plans covered slightly fewer expenses in 2007 than in 2004, but out-of-pocket spending grew more than one-third because of growth in overall health spending. For people at 200 percent of poverty, the percentage spending more than 10 percent of their income out of pocket on premiums plus services increased from 13 percent to 18 percent. Health Affairs 28, no. 4 (2009): w595-w606 (published online 2 June 2009; 10.1377/hlthaff.28.4.w595)]

Key Words: Access To Care, Business Of Health, Consumer Issues, Health Reform, Insurance - Employer-Based System, Health Spending, Insurance Market

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