Rising Health Pressures in an Economic Recession: A 360-Degree Look at Four Communities
This report draws on interviews and focus groups in four communities to examine at the grassroots levels the experiences of families, employers, safety-net providers and community organizations in four U.S. communities hard hit by the recession. The communities are Beloit, Wisc.; Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.; Long Island, N.Y.; and Sonoma, Calif.
The report explores the financial and personal struggles of families who have suffered economic reversals and lost health coverage, forcing many to juggle bills and postpone visits to the doctor while they scramble to find a new job. It reveals that many people who have lost jobs are exhausting their savings and collecting limited unemployment benefits, and yet still do not qualify for public safety net programs such as Medicaid.
Report (.pdf)
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