On August 1, the Urban Institute released three briefs examining the economic impact of the national health care reform law.  The first brief outlines the impact of the law on businesses, suggesting that small and mid-sized firms will experience greatly improved access to coverage, while large firms may experience higher costs.  The second brief explores the impact of the law on the economy and unemployment, projecting that the law will be beneficial, particularly for state and local governments and small businesses.  The third brief examines the law’s effect on the national deficit and debt.  The authors conclude that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) did not underestimate spending growth but suggest that CBO may have underestimated the positive impact of the law’s cost containment measures.

First brief:  How Will the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 Affect Small, Medium and Large Businesses? (PDF | 199.61 KB)

Second brief: Will Health Care Reform Hurt the Economy and Increase Unemployment? (PDF | 195.62 KB) 

Third brief: Will Health Care Reform Increase the Deficit and National Debt? (PDF | 231.82 KB)

Urban Institute. (2010). Will health care reform increase the deficit and national debt? Holahan, J.