Unemployment Insurance Claims Rise, But Most Keep Their Health Care Benefits

May 01, 2020
by Mark Wilson

While initial claims for unemployment insurance have jumped by more than 30 million over the past six weeks, 88 percent of those who have been furloughed or had their hours or pay reduced are still covered by their employer’s health care plan.

According to the latest Kaiser Family Foundation poll:

• 55% of adults have been either laid-off, furloughed or had their hours or pay reduced:
  • 88% of those are still covered by an employer health care plan;
  • 2% are covered through COBRA by an employer plan;
  • 1% are covered by a government program or a plan purchased on their own; and
  • 7% are uninsured.

Takeaway:  While state shutdown orders to control the COVID pandemic have substantially reduced employment and hours of work, there has been very little impact to date on the number of Americans covered by employer-provided health care benefits.