Health-Insurance Coverage Rates for US Workers, 1979-2008

Publication Date: March 2010

Publisher: Center for Economic and Policy Research

Author(s): John Schmitt; Hye Jin Rho

Research Area: Government; Labor

Keywords: health care; health insurance

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

This study estimates rates of all forms of health insurance coverage for workers aged 18 to 64, by wage quintiles, over the past three decades. This analysis looks at health insurance from any source, while other reports (with rare exceptions) look at only employer-provided health coverage. This report provides trends from 1979 to 2008, while even the Census Bureau typically presents data starting from only either 1987 or 1999 (due to methodology changes made in those two years). The Census Bureau also does not publish data for workers, as this report does.