Seventy-nine out of 100 counties with the highest levels of medical debt in collections are in states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. What county characteristics predict medical debt, and what policies could help reduce it?
Evidence shows continuing an unwanted pregnancy leads to more pregnancy-related deaths, negative mental and physical outcomes, and adverse social and economic consequences for women and their families. Read about the impact of abortion access on women’s economic mobility.
Pandemic policies seem to have protected children’s insurance coverage through the end of 2021, with both survey and administrative data suggesting public coverage increases. But additional actions are needed to limit possible coverage losses in 2022 and beyond.
Lowering the age of Medicare from 65 to 60 shows there would be improvements in health insurance coverage, at a significant federal cost, though these coverage gains would differ by enrollee income and current coverage.
Vaccine hesitancy implies being unvaccinated is solely attributable to personal preference. But this assumption ignores the structural barriers, like lack of transportation and language barriers, that some people face, especially communities of color.
