Tracing Effects in Non-Metropolitan Counties of the 2017 Federal Health Policy Changes

Findings: Tracing Effects in Non-Metropolitan Counties of the 2017 Federal Health Policy Changes; Katherine Swartz, Theda Skocpol, and Mary Waters, Harvard University

The Trump administration and the Republican leadership in the 115th Congress have moved quickly to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and are expected to propose major changes to Medicaid, Medicare, and other health and social service programs. Such policy changes, as well as concerns about federal funding for Community Health Centers, programs for the elderly and disabled, mental health and substance abuse programs, and waivers for state Medicaid special programs, have generated concern in communities that are likely to be affected.

Economist Kathy Swartz, sociologist Mary Waters, and political scientist Theda Skocpol will track the consequences for people, employers, and health care providers in two counties outside of big cities in each of four states—North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. They will collect baseline information on health policy changes as they unfold during the first part of 2017.