On March 4, Gallup released a survey finding that the proportion of Americans with employer-sponsored health coverage declined from 50 percent in 2008 to 44.6 percent in February 2011.  The poll also found that the percentage of individuals enrolled in public health coverage rose from 22.5 percent to 25.7 percent over the same period.  Gallup notes that the trend was consistent across age groups, concluding that the shift in coverage was attributable to unemployment rather than population aging.  Gallup also found that the uninsured rate has remained steady at 16 percent since February 2009.

From the report:

The percentage of Americans who report getting health insurance from their employer has been steadily decreasing over the past three years, dropping to a low of 44.6% in February. Over the same time period, the percentage of Americans covered by government healthcare -- Medicare, Medicaid, or military/veterans' benefits -- has been increasing and now includes slightly more than one in four American adults.

The decline in employer-based coverage and increase in government healthcare has occurred in tandem with rising unemployment. Additionally, government healthcare coverage has increased among all age groups, not just seniors, suggesting that unemployment rather than aging baby boomers is contributing more to the uptick in the number of Americans with government healthcare.

Full Report: U.S. Employer-Based Health Coverage Continues to Decline 

Gallup. (2011). U.S. employer-based health coverage continues to decline. Mendes, E.