Report: Arizona Would Be Big Job Loser if Obamacare Is Repealed

According to a new study by the Economic Policy Institute, Arizona would be one of the biggest losers if the G.O.P. gets its way and the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

The state stands to lose 41,982 jobs — translating to roughly 15 out of every 1,000 jobs in the state, or a 1.6 percent drop in employment.

The Economic Policy Institute is a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. Its research focuses on how economic policy affects working-class and middle-class Americans.

Their calculations put Arizona in the top 10 job-losing states, ranking seventh behind New Mexico, Kentucky, Montana, Oregon, West Virginia, and Rhode Island.

To be clear, these aren’t only health-care jobs we’re talking about.

As the report explains, “By helping pick up the tab for individual insurance and expanding coverage on Medicaid, the ACA has helped millions of Americans afford their care. If this support were withdrawn, people would have less money to spend on other basic necessities like food and rent.”

That hurts the economy overall, leading businesses to lay off employees or even close.

It's worth noting that the move to repeal Obamacare would largely hurt low-income families.

Advocates estimate that as many as 130,000 kids could wind up without health insurance if a suitable replacement isn't found. In addition, dismantling the Affordable Care Act could potentially also mean the end of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which provides coverage for tribal members.

That hasn’t stopped Arizona’s elected officials from fighting to repeal Obamacare. Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake have both expressed support for the repeal. Both also agree that there needs to be a replacement, although what that might look like is unclear.