Results from the 2015 MEPS-IC Private-Sector National Tables

Employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) is the primary source of health insurance coverage for individuals under age 65. This Statistical Brief uses data for private-sector establishments in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Insurance Component (MEPS-IC) to describe trends in employer coverage, premiums, and deductibles from 2008 to 2015. The MEPS-IC is an annual survey of private employers and State and local governments and is designed to be representative of all 50 States and the District of Columbia. The period presented in this Brief, 2008 to 2015, shows trends both before and after the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the implementation of many of its provisions. The ACA introduced policy changes that could affect national ESI trends, as well as trends by firm size. Certain provisions, such as preventive care services without cost sharing and coverage of young adults on parents' health insurance policies began in 2010. Starting in 2014, subsidized coverage became available to individuals through State and Federal marketplaces, and Medicaid expansions began in many States. In addition, most people were required to either obtain health insurance or make an individual shared responsibility payment beginning that year. In 2015, the ACA's employer shared responsibility provisions began to take effect for employers with more than 100 full-time-equivalent employees. This Brief describes trends and patterns in ESI, overall and by firm size categories relevant to provisions of the ACA (those in establishments in firms with fewer than 50 employees, 50 to 99 employees, and 100 or more employees, respectively). All differences discussed in the text are at the 0.05 significance level, unless otherwise noted. All dollar estimates are nominal (not adjusted for inflation).