An Early Look At Changes In Employer-Sponsored Insurance Under The Affordable Care Act

Abstract

Critics frequently characterize the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a threat to the survival of employer-sponsored insurance. The Medicaid expansion and Marketplace subsidies could adversely affect employers' incentives to offer health insurance and workers' incentives to take up such offers. This article takes advantage of timely data from the Health Reform Monitoring Survey for June 2013 through September 2014 to examine, from the perspective of workers, early changes in offer, take-up, and coverage rates for employer-sponsored insurance under the ACA. We found no evidence that any of these rates have declined under the ACA. They have, in fact, remained constant: around 82 percent, 86 percent, and 71 percent, respectively, for all workers and around 63 percent, 71 percent, and 45 percent, respectively, for low-income workers. To date, the ACA has had no effect on employer coverage. Economic incentives for workers to obtain coverage from employers remain strong.

Key Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): A Systematic Review and Presentation of Early Research Findings

“…; Blavin et al. ). In 2014, the proportion of employers offering ESI (55 percent) and the average annual premium for individual coverage therein ($6,025) were similar to those in 2013 (Claxton et al.…”

“…One of the overarching questions about the ACA is how it will impact ESI, and whether the vast majority of workers will continue to obtain health insurance via their workplace. Recent studies indicate an absence of major changes in ESI since the ACA has gone into effect (Claxton et al 2014a;Blavin et al 2015). In 2014, the proportion of employers offering ESI (55 percent) and the average annual premium for individual coverage therein ($6,025) were similar to those in 2013 (Claxton et al 2014a).…”

Effect of Financial Stress and Positive Financial Behaviors on Cost-Related Nonadherence to Health Regimens Among Adults in a Community-Based Setting

“…Between 2007 and 2010, per-person out-of-pocket spending grew most rapidly for people primarily covered by employer-sponsored insurance because of a greater shift to high-deductible plan offerings by employers (23), which may encourage CRN. To date, no significant changes as a result of the ACA have been noted on consumer behavior among those with employer-sponsored insurance (24), suggesting that strategies to improve financial literacy may also be relevant for this group to prevent CRN.…”

Health care eligibility and availability and health care reform: Are we addressing rural women’s barriers to accessing care?

“…Like pre-PPACA, employment remains a primary means by which non-elderly US residents obtain healthcare. 49 Thus, among rural residents, who are less likely to obtain employer-based health insurance for employment reasons including employer size, lower wages, and higher rates self-employment, 13 coverage gaps may persist. Once the mandate for employer-based coverage is in full effect, further research is needed to understand whether employer-based coverage has increased in rural areas.…”