Working Paper
Health Insurance as an Income Stabilizer
Blascak, Nathan; Roll, Stephen; Grinstein-Weiss, Michal; Gallagher, Emily (2020-01-29)
We evaluate the effect of health insurance on the incidence of negative income shocks using the tax data and survey responses of nearly 14,000 low income households. Us-ing a regression discontinuity (RD) design and variation in the cost of nongroup pri-vate health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, we find that eligibility for sub-sidized Marketplace insurance is associated with a 16% and 9% decline in the rates of unexpected job loss and income loss, respectively. Effects are concentrated among households with past health costs and exist only for “unexpected” forms of earnings ...
Working Papers , Paper 20-05

Periodic Essay
Bankruptcy Rules and “Medicaid Churn” Affect Saving of Families Planning for Medical Bills
Gallagher, Emily (2018)
The use of bankruptcy to avoid medical bills and the sometimes transient nature of Medicaid play a role in low-income families? decisions about saving.
In the Balance , Issue 21 , Pages 1-5

Periodic Essay
Medicaid Can Increase Saving by Distressed Households
Gallagher, Emily (2018)
After Medicaid eligibility, financially stressed families chose to save more from tax refunds, but low-income families that weren?t as financially stressed didn?t make major changes to saving choices.
In the Balance , Issue 20 , Pages 1-7

Financial Hardship Following Hurricane Harvey
Ricketts, Lowell R.; Gallagher, Emily (2020-09-10)
Financial constraints before the hurricane, homeownership status and the likelihood of having flood insurance altered the financial effects of flooding on families.
On the Economy

Essay
Plasma Donations Curb Demand for Payday Loans
Ricketts, Lowell R.; Gallagher, Emily; Dooley, John (2022-09-08)
Research shows that demand for high-cost debt like payday and installment loans tends to decline after plasma donation centers open in U.S. communities.
Economic Equity Insights

Periodic Essay
Cash on Hand Is Critical for Avoiding Hardship
Sabat, Jorge; Gallagher, Emily (2017)
Should more families be encouraged to hold a liquidity buffer even if it means incurring more debt in the short-term?
In the Balance , Issue 18 , Pages 1-3

Journal Article
Cash on Hand Is Critical for Avoiding Hardship
Sabat, Jorge; Gallagher, Emily (2017-01)
Should more families be encouraged to hold a liquidity buffer even if it means incurring more debt in the short term?
Bridges , Issue Winter