Retiree health insurance and pension coverage: variations by firm characteristics.

This study examined coverage by employer-sponsored retiree health insurance using the 1988 and 1989 Employee Benefits Surveys. The effects of firm characteristics on the probability of offering retiree health insurance and pension coverage are also estimated. We find that coverage by retiree health insurance varies across occupational groups, industries, and firm sizes. In addition, we find a strong relationship between a firm's decisions to offer retiree health insurance and pension coverage, with the retiree health insurance decision being more sensitive to specific firm characteristics.