More than 9 Million U.S. Adults Lost Health Coverage

An estimated 9.3 million American adults lost health insurance coverage as a result of increased unemployment during the recession of 2007-09. The newly published study found that roughly nine times as many Americans lost health insurance coverage in the recession of 2007-09 as in the previous recession of 2001. It also estimates that 4.2 million children under the age of 18 gained health insurance coverage during the recession, supporting the idea that government health insurance programs work counter-cyclically, as intended as part of the social safety net. As parents lose jobs and income, more children qualify for coverage through Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs. www.nber.org/papers/w17600.