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Study of single mothers shows need for full Affordable Care Act funding

Professor Chi-Fang Wu. Photo courtesy of the University of Illinois.

Professor Chi-Fang Wu. Photo courtesy of the University of Illinois.

Single mothers who are underemployed went without health insurance longer than women who are fully employed  or those who have no jobs, according to a study from the University of Illinois School of Social Work.

The lack of healthcare for these women underscores the need for full funding of the Affordable Care Act, which will provide healthcare to millions of uninsured Americans, Professor Chi-Fang Wu, PhD, MSW, said on HealthCanal.com.

“If the Affordable Care Act – also known as ‘Obamacare’ – is defunded, this will likely continue,” Wu said. “If society wants to ‘make work pay’ and ensure that single mothers are sufficiently healthy to pursue career goals and to care for their children, then Congress must continue provisions that provide universal health care coverage.”

Researchers looked at a sample of 455 single mothers. They found that those who worked full-time but earned less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level or were involuntarily working part-time jobs went without health insurance for about 13 1/2 months between August 2008 and March 2011.

During this same period single mothers who were adequately employed or working full or part-time jobs and earning more than 125 percent of the federal poverty level went without insurance for four months while unemployed mothers were uninsured for 10 months.

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