Who Receives Offers of Employer Sponsored Health Insurance?

Abstract

In the United States, over 90% of working-age adults with insurance receive their health insurance through their employer. However, not all employers offer employer sponsored insurance (ESI). Whether or not a worker receives an ESI offer is shown to be primarily impacted by family income and the size of the worker's employer. Other variables like age, health status, attitudes towards insurance, education, and whether a spouse has an ESI offer are significant but far less important than family income. A married worker with a spouse that does not have an ESI offer is more likely to have an ESI offer than a married worker with a spouse with an ESI offer. This ability to coordinate employment opportunities is an economic advantage for two-earner couples.