NEWS FLASH

Study: Unemployment Added 9.3 Million Adults To The Rolls Of The Uninsured | In yet another example of the problem with linking insurance coverage to employment, a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that “a one percentage point increase in the state unemployment rate is associated with a 1.67 percentage point (2.12%) reduction in the probability that men have health insurance.” “This effect is strongest among college-educated, white, and older (50-64 year old) men,” the research concluded. Similarly a “one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a 1.37 percentage point (4.69%) higher probability that a child is covered by public health insurance.” And so based on those estimates, 9.3 million adults lost insurance “due to a higher unemployment rate alone during the 2007-09 recession.” The Affordable Care Act will mitigate this trend, as individuals, families, small businesses (and eventually larger businesses) will be able to find coverage in the exchanges.