Studies of health care policies show allocation inequities

A study released January 22 by the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI), Washington, DC, shows that nearly 17 percent of the U.S. population under the age of 65 were without private or public insurance coverage in 1990. Jill Foley, an EBRI research analyst and author of the study, said the rise in the number of uninsured Americans--35.7 million in 1990 compared to 34.4 million in 1989--can be attributed, in part, to a decline in the number of workers who receive health coverage through their employers. These results lend substance to assumptions expressed by politicians and policymakers who are now addressing reforms in health care and economic spheres. The effects of public policies on allocation of resources are discussed in the following articles.