New Survey: 9 Million U.S. Adults Who Lost a Job With Health Benefits Became Uninsured
<p>In the last two years, an estimated 9 million working-age adults became uninsured after losing a job with health benefits, according to The Commonwealth Fund's 2010 Biennial Health Insurance Survey, whose findings were released today in a <a href="/publications/fund-reports/2011/mar/help-horizon-how-recession-has-left-millions-workers-without">new report</a>. The results underscore the great difficulties unemployed Americans face today in finding affordable health care coverage—only a quarter of people who lost their employer health benefits found another source of insurance, and just 14 percent elected COBRA coverage. But the report also discusses the promise of the health reform law to shore up families' health security. </p>
<p>Several Affordable Care Act provisions are already bringing some relief, like allowing young adults to stay on their parents' plans until age 26. And once the law is fully implemented, nearly all 52 million adults who were uninsured for a time in 2010 will have access to comprehensive health coverage through an expanded Medicaid program, or through tax credits to purchase private health plans fortified by consumer protections. </p>
<p>For complete survey findings and analysis, read <a href="/publications/fund-reports/2011/mar/help-horizon-how-recession-has-left-millions-workers-without">Help on the Horizon: How the Recession Has Left Millions of Workers Without Health Insurance, and How Health Reform Will Bring Relief</a>. </p>
<p>Also check out the <a href="/blog/2011/recession-leads-insurance-loss-health-reform-help">blog post</a> and <a href="/usr_doc/site_docs/slideshows/BiennialReport/BiennialReport.html">interactive feature</a> providing select survey data—and join a <a href="http://tweetchat.com/room/commfund">TweetChat</a> today at 2 p.m. by following #commfund. <br /></p>