Biden likely to achieve some health reform goals

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db258274 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Insurance ◽

Health Reform ◽

Healthcare Reform ◽

Tax Credits ◽

Public Health Insurance ◽

Content Type ◽

Community Health Centres ◽

Private Healthcare ◽

Health Centres

Significance A congressional battle looms over Biden’s healthcare reform plans: elements are opposed by Republicans and progressive Democrats. Biden proposes to offer federally provided health insurance to all US citizens. Impacts Biden will use subsequent COVID-19 aid packages to advance his healthcare agenda, including funding community health centres. Biden will likely push to allow more medicine purchases from abroad, creating an opportunity for European and Asian pharma firms. Healthcare tax credits would make private healthcare more attractive and affordable for consumers. A public health insurance option would reduce the insurance risks facing private health insurers. The pharma industry will expend vast sums bankrolling politicians and lobbyists to fight Biden’s healthcare plans.

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COVID-19 will strain US health provision and budgets

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db254280 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Insurance ◽

Affordable Care Act ◽

Low Income ◽

Healthcare Reform ◽

Public Health Insurance ◽

Medicaid Expansion ◽

Public And Private ◽

Content Type ◽

Low Income Families

Significance High and rising case numbers have strained public and private health systems. Medicaid, which caters to low-income families and will experience surging demand as job losses rise, is in particular distress, mainly because states co-fund and administer it. The strains are propelling healthcare reform as an electoral issue. Impacts Biden is unlikely to endorse ‘Medicare for all’ but will push his public health insurance option. The Republicans will struggle to elucidate a clear alternative to the Affordable Care Act before November. COVID-19 will fuel calls for Medicaid expansion, including in smaller conservative states.

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US health reform push will follow 2021

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db249496 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Reform ◽

Healthcare Costs ◽

Public Health Insurance ◽

Healthcare Industry ◽

Content Type ◽

Price Controls ◽

Party Control ◽

The Us ◽

Healthcare Reforms

Significance The US healthcare system and its reform is a top voter concern, especially amid rising healthcare costs. Sensing a threat, the healthcare industry has spent millions of dollars fighting any expansion of public health insurance. Impacts Reforms delinking healthcare from employment will decrease job attractiveness and stickiness. As healthcare prices rise, employers will lobby for price controls. Reaching agreement on healthcare reforms would be easier without split party control of government.

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Effects of public health insurance on labor supply in rural China

China Agricultural Economic Review ◽

10.1108/caer-12-2016-0194 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 623-642 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zheng Shen ◽

Marie Parker ◽

Derek Brown ◽

Xiangming Fang

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Insurance ◽

Labor Supply ◽

Labor Force ◽

Labor Force Participation ◽

Public Health Insurance ◽

Farm Labor ◽

Rural Residents ◽

Content Type ◽

The Impact

Purpose Since the implementation of the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) in 2003, this program has experienced rapid growth. Even so, little is known about the association between NCMS expansion and labor force supply among rural residents in China. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of the NCMS on labor force supply for rural Chinese populations. Design/methodology/approach Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), a difference-in-differences (DD) approach is employed to estimate the impact of NCMS expansion on labor supply outcomes, including hours of worked in agriculture, off-farm labor force participation, not working, and weeks off due to illness. A number of falsification tests are conducted to identify whether the assumption of common trends of DD analyses is satisfied. The robustness of results is checked through additional estimation, including panel fixed effects and instrumental variable approach. Findings Results show that the NCMS expansion has a positive effect on the hours of worked in agriculture and off-farm labor force participation, and reduces the likelihood of not working and weeks off due to illness. The effect on hours of agricultural production is larger for male adults, those aged 50 or more, and individuals in low-income families. This study demonstrates the importance of potential health improvements from public health insurance in promoting rural residents’ labor productivity. Originality/value Studies concerning the effects of public health insurance on labor supply in developing countries remain limited. The findings of this study provide important insights into how public health insurance programs, like the NCMS, may affect patterns of labor supply among rural residents, and can help policymakers improve health policies aimed to reduce the number of uninsured farmers while maintaining high levels of labor supply, productivity, and health status among the most vulnerable of populations.

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