Health Policy

EPI analyzes the US health care system through the lens of low and moderate income families’ living standards. From this perspective we propose and track progressive options for national health reform.

Newest Research and Commentary

Employment Effects of a Pay-or Play Mandate: Phillip Cryan analyzes the employment effects of a “pay-or-play” mandate for employers to provide health insurance to their workers or pay a contribution to the insurance marketplace, finding that job losses are likely to be minimal or non-existent and greatly outweighed by job creation.  

Geographic Effects of Capping the Tax Exclusion: Elise Gould analyzes the geographic effects of capping the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance.

A Public Plan Option as Backup Insurance: Elise Gould and Alexander Hertel-Fernandez examine how a public plan option for health insurance could serve as backup insurance for millions of Americans.

Medicare Privatization: A Cautionary Tale: Monique Morrissey discusses the Medicare Advantage program and its implications for health reform.  

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance in the 21st Century: Elise Gould delivered testimony before the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives on April 29th, 2009 on the erosion of employer-sponsored health insurance and the need for comprehensive health reform that strengthens employer-provided insurance while providing a new public health insurance option.

A Public Insurance Option: Alexander Hertel-Fernandez outlines the case for why a public health insurance option is essential for effective health reform, even with a new regulated national insurance exchange. 

Taxing Health Benefits: Elise Gould examines who would stand stand to lose if employer-sponsored health insurance premiums become subject to taxation. Read the full article in the March 9th issue of Tax Notes here, and read a summary of the research here.

Other Featured Research and Commentary:

- The State of Working America 2008/2009 Health Chapter, by Elise Gould, outlines the failings of our present health care system, including trends in insurance coverage, access to care, and health oucomes.

- ”No Time For Timidity” (USA Today Op-Ed), by Elise Gould, makes the case for bold, comprehensive action on health reform, now more than ever in the worsening recession.

- Working with Jacob Hacker, we have developed the Health Care for America plan that would extend health insurance coverage to all Americans while controlling costs and improving quality. Read more about the plan, including an analysis of estimated costs and savings, here. 

- Monique Morrissey makes the case for why our economy needs health reform, not entitlement or Social Security reform.

- EPI tracks the erosion of employer-sponsored for different demographic and socioeconomic groups. Read the current report here.