According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 26% of non-elderly individuals have public health coverage and this percentage has increased. What is the most likely reason for this increase?

a. the average age of the non-elderly population has decreased, and younger individuals don't need healthcare coverage

b. during the COVID-19 pandemic, more working-aged adults lost their employer-sponsored coverage

c. fewer employers are offering healthcare coverage

d. healthcare coverage has become too expensive for more individuals