Report: Healthcare Jobs Increased as Result of Obamacare Coverage

Healthcare jobs have increased as states' insured rates climbed under Obamacare, an analysis by Axios revealed.

Axios reviewed Census Bureau data to chart coverage gains and healthcare jobs from 2013 to 2015.

"The more a state's insured rate has increased since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the more healthcare jobs that have been added in the state," Axios' Caitlin Owens and Chris Canipe wrote.

Here are some examples cited by Axios:

• Arkansas recorded an 8 percent increase in the total insured between 2013-2015 and a 2 percent climb in healthcare jobs.
• New York's insured rate increased by 5 percent and healthcare jobs rose to by 4 percent.
• Ohio had 5 percent more insured and a 1 percent increase in healthcare jobs.
• Louisiana recorded a 7 percent increase in insured and a 1 percent rise in healthcare jobs.
• Utah's insured rate jumped by 8 percent and the state saw a 4 percent increase in healthcare jobs.
• California recorded a 13 percent increase in insured and a 5 percent rise in healthcare jobs.

The House healthcare plan, which the Senate is studying and revising, would cause an estimated 23 million to lose insurance, according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, the Axios report noted.

"It would be hard to imagine it wouldn't have some negative impact on the growth in health jobs if you suddenly had 20 million more uninsured," said Ani Turner, a co-director at the Altarum Institute's Center for Sustainable Health Spending.

President Donald Trump told Republican senators on Tuesday the House bill was "mean," according to CNN.

Trump told lawmakers the bill didn't go far enough in protecting individuals in the marketplace, the news network said.

Still, reduction of healthcare jobs would impact states differently, Axios reported.

"Bigger cities will find it easier — lots of stuff to do," David Cutler, a health economist at Harvard University, said. "Harder would be in coal country or small towns without much of a diversified employment base."

And Axios cautioned Obamacare is likely only partially responsible for the increase in healthcare jobs since the industry has been reporting steady growth for years.

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