High-wage workers are more likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance than low- and middle-wage workers, and all groups have experienced significant declines in coverage since 1979: Employer-sponsored health insurance coverage rates, by wage fifth, 1979 and 2017
| Date | 1979 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom fifth | 37.90% | 24.7% |
| Second fifth | 60.50% | 45.8% |
| Middle fifth | 74.70% | 59.0% |
| Fourth fifth | 83.50% | 67.3% |
| Top fifth | 89.50% | 74.2% |
Notes: Health insurance coverage data are for private-sector wage and salary workers ages 18–64 who worked at least 20 hours per week and 26 weeks per year. Coverage is defined as workers who received health insurance from their own job for which their employer paid at least some of the premium.
Source: Author’s analysis of EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0 (2020), https://microdata.epi.org