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NORC at the University Chicago

Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Employer Health Benefits

Young pregnant woman working in office with computer
A detailed picture of how health coverage for U.S. workers changes over time
  • Client
    Kaiser Family Foundation
  • Dates
    2007 – 2022

Problem

Tracking changes in employer-sponsored health insurance.

The annual Survey of Employer Health Benefits (EHBS) provides a detailed picture of how employer health insurance coverage is changing over time in terms of availability, costs, and coverage for the approximately 155 million Americans who rely on employer-sponsored health insurance. Employer health insurance is the leading source of coverage in the country. For this reason, tracking changes in employer health insurance provides critical information to a variety of audiences, including policymakers, researchers, employers, and the public.

Solution

Capturing trends via surveys with benefits managers.

The survey captures trends in employer health coverage, including changes in premiums, offer rates, eligibility and coverage, employee contributions, cost sharing policies, enrollment, prescription drug coverage, retiree health benefits, self-insurance, and wellness and disease management programs. NORC collaborated on this study through web-based and telephone surveys with benefits managers using a nationally representative sample of over 2,000 American businesses with three or more workers.

Result

NORC collaborated on this annual study for more than 15 years.

The EHBS began in the late 1980s and typically is fielded from January through June of each year. The Kaiser Family Foundation has sponsored the study since 1999, and NORC collaborated on this study from 2007 to 2022. NORC participated in survey development and testing, interviewer training, overseeing data collection, and writing of the annual report.

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