Related UI Researchers

Publications on Economy/Taxes

Many of Massachusetts's health reforms have brought about positive change: the number of uninsured has fallen by half, access to needed care has increased, and private insurance has not been "crowded out" by public insurance programs. But the Massachusetts initiative has also seen higher than anticipated costs. In a new analysis, John Holahan and Linda Blumberg summarize the state's accomplishments, examine the challenges, and suggest four options for addressing long-term costs. According to the authors, much of Massachusetts's high spending growth is due to the concentration in the state's hospital and insurance markets.

Between increased Medicaid caseloads, rising indigent care costs, and Medicaid's share of state revenue losses, an economic downturn in the next two and a half years could impose between $74 billion and $118 billion in extra financial burdens on the 50 states, if unemployment averages between 8 and 10 percent. The amount Congress must spend to prevent state service cutbacks and tax increases depends on how fiscal relief is allocated. Basing each state's funding on objective, economic indicators makes federal dollars go farther towards solving state fiscal woes, since more of the money benefits the states that most need help.

This brief, part of the Urban Institute's "Recession and Recover" series, assesses how unemployment and household income changes as the economy moves through a recession and into recovery.

This brief, part of the Urban Institute's "Recession and Recover" series, examines how the Unemployment Insurance program responds during a recession and how that response may differ in the current recession from its response in the past.

This brief, part of the Urban Institute's "Recession and Recover" series, examines how the TANF program (formerly AFDC) responds during a recession and how that response may differ in the current recession from its response in the past.