The impact of higher rent levels on private health insurance enrollment: An exploratory analysis for a single state, Virginia

This exploratory empirical study proffers and empirically examines the following two hypotheses: the higher the monthly rent levels being charged for apartments, the lower the percent of the population age 18 years to age 65 that opts to obtain private (whether group or individual) health insurance: and the greater the percentage growth rate of median household income, the greater the growth in the capacity to purchase health insurance. Panel 2SLS estimation provides what may be viewed as at least preliminary empirical support for both hypotheses. Certain policy implications are suggested.