The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released a report, Barely Hanging On: Middle-Class and Uninsured, documenting the declining rate of employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) among the middle class and the corresponding rise in uninsurance.  RWJF finds that the number of middle-class individuals covered by ESI dropped by 3 million (7 percent) from 2000 to 2008 and notes that 2 million middle class workers became uninsured over the same period.  In addition, RWJF finds that the average cost of family coverage increased 81 percent over the same period.  The report also provides state-level data on middle-class uninsurance rates.

From the report: In this report, we use data from ongoing federal surveys of individuals and employers to examine trends in health insurance coverage across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. We use data from the SHADAC-Enhanced Current Population Survey (CPS) for calendar years 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2008 to measure the coverage type of individuals. Data are averaged across two years 1999-2000 and 2007-2008 to ensure more stable estimates. Data on employer sponsored health insurance premiums and offer rates, over the years 1999-2001 and 2008 come from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Insurance Component (MEPS-IC). These data, collected and distributed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), provide national- and state-level detail not available from other data sources.

Full report:  Barely Hanging On: Middle-Class and Uninsured- A State by State Analysis (PDF | 511.95 KB)

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  (2010).  Barely hanging on: middle-class and uninsured- a state by state analysis.