March 17, 2010: A new report came out today that presents the grim toll that the two recessions of the 21st century have taken on employer-sponsored health insurance coverage.  "Barely Hanging On:  Middle Class and Uninsured" includes analysis of these trends, conducted by SHADAC researchers.  The report was released by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and includes state-by state analysis.  It has been reported extensively through the county. 

In short, the report shows some disturbing trends.  The changes from 2000 to 2008 for the non-elderly population (ages 0-64) include:

• The percent of people without employer-sponsored health insurance coverage decreased 6.3%.
• The percent of people with public (government) coverage increased 4.5%.
• The percent of people without health insurance increased 1.7%.
• Percent of private-sector employees working for firms that do NOT offer health insurance increased 1.3%.
• Percent of private-sector employees eligible for, but not enrolled in, health insurance at establishments that offer it increased 3.1%.
• Average cost of premiums per employee (employer + employee costs) increased 43% for single coverage and 55.6% for family coverage.
• Average employee share of premiums increased 64.5% for single coverage 80.5% for family coverage.

• Median household incomes decreased 2.5%.

Those are all significant changes.

The report breaks out the numbers by low income, middle income, and high income (referenced to the federal poverty level).  Middle-income earners have been hardest hit, with just 66 percent of these people now being insured through their employer, a drop of seven percentage points from 2000 to 2008.

Download the report.