Demographic characteristics changed in counterbalancing ways.
There were fewer young workers in 1995 than in 1979 (reflecting the
aging of the baby boomers), and education levels of the labor force
rose. Each of these changes should have led to increases in health
insurance coverage. However, there also were more single workers
in 1995 than in 1979 and more black and Hispanic workers, changes
that should have led to decreased coverage. On net, changes in
demographic characteristics are expected to have little effect on
changes in coverage during 1979–1995.