People receiving subsidized housing assistance are more likely to have medical insurance than other low-income people not receiving housing assistance from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a new study found.
The study, conducted by University of Maryland (UMD) School of Public Health (SPH) researcher Andrew Fenelon, revealed that 31 percent of the recipients of housing assistance were uninsured compared to about 37 percent of future recipients on a waitlist for HUD assistance.
“We found that the benefits of giving people subsidized housing go beyond simply having access to affordable housing,” Fenelon said. “Housing is good in and of itself, but even better is that with improved access to housing, you get improvements in access to health care, and ultimately better health outcomes.”
Fenelon, an assistant professor in the UMD SPH Department of Health Services Administration, conducted the study in collaboration with researchers from HUD, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Center for Health Statistics. He analyzed data on adults ages 18-64 from the National Health Interview Survey that were linked to HUD data for the eight years from 2004-2012.
He said the results of this study are particularly relevant given the Trump Administration’s proposed $6 billion cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development budget for 2018.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research organization, estimates that the Trump proposal would result in the elimination of 250,000 rental vouchers. The center also warns that proposals in the budget would “significantly raise assisted tenants’ rents and cut voucher subsidies in various ways.”
“There are many reasons why having access to housing may enable people to obtain health insurance and access needed care,” Fenelon said. “With the increased stability that comes from having a home and reduced financial burdens, and being introduced into the social service system and the access to other support services it provides, people receiving housing assistance are getting improved access to primary care health services. This is a clear demonstration that housing is one of the so-called ‘social determinants’ of health. The value of this program should be carefully considered in light of the far-reaching benefits it may have beyond its face value.”