This paper contains a first analysis of trends in private social benefits within a comparative framework. There is growing interest in the role of the private sector in the provision of social support in the light of concerns about the high level of public social spending. However, up to now,...

"The NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health provides summaries of publications like this. You can sign up to receive the NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health by email. This paper examines how labor income volatility and social security benefits can influence lifecycle household portfolios. We examine...

"The NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health provides summaries of publications like this. You can sign up to receive the NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health by email. Most non-elderly Americans purchase insurance through their employers, which sponsor a limited number of plans. We estimate how much...

"The NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health provides summaries of publications like this. You can sign up to receive the NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health by email. In 2006 San Francisco adopted major health reform, becoming the first city to implement a pay-or-play employer health spending mandate....