The safety net and job loss: How much insurance do public programs provide?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: East, Chloe N.; Simon, David
• 署名单位: University of Colorado System; University of Colorado Denver; Children's Hospital Colorado; University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; IZA Institute Labor Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research; University of Connecticut
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105171
• 发表日期: 2024
• 关键词: job loss; Safety net; unemployment insurance

摘要

We comprehensively evaluate the role of the U.S. safety net in replacing displaced workers' lost income and health insurance using the 1996-2013 Survey of Income and Program Participation. Cash and near-cash programs replace 32% of lost income on average over the two years following job loss and reduce the likelihood of experiencing poverty by 18 percentage points. 97% of transfer benefits paid in these two years come from Unemployment Insurance. Two years after job loss, the replacement rate is 28%, but this is largely driven by UI benefit extensions unique to the Great Recession. Public health insurance makes up for 17% of the loss in private insurance, but, even two years later, rates of uninsurance are higher than pre-job loss. Looking at heterogeneous effects, in general, the safety net is progressive, though we uncover important gaps in benefits for some disadvantaged groups.