The Crisis of Jobs and Healthcare for Unemployed Americans Aged 55-64
Authors: Joelle Saad-Lessler, Teresa Ghilarducci and Lauren Schmitz
Date: January 2013

Using the data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), we investigate how older unemployed Americans are living, the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reform, and whether the unemployment faced by older Americans is cyclical or structural in nature. We explore solutions to this crisis, reviewing various reforms to job retraining programs and/or tax incentive plans. Workforce development and unemployment insurance policies must take into account the new reality that the unemployed are increasingly older, extremely low income, less likely to be able to retire on pensions, have little access to spousal income or health care and are often displaced from their career industries.