SCOTT ALAN CARSON, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research)
Email: carson_s@utpb.edu

The relationship between material inequality and health is the subject of considerable debate, and may depend on how the relationship is defined. This paper uses stature as its measure for cumulative health outcomes to illustrate that the 19th century relationship between material inequality and health was negative; greater average state wealth was associated with taller individual statures. The paper also proposes and supports a bio-spatial relationship between the environment and stature.

ADAM WAGSTAFF, World Bank - Development Research Group
Email: awagstaff@worldbank.org

Health systems are not just about improving health: good ones also ensure that people are protected from the financial consequences of receiving medical care. Anecdotal evidence suggests health systems often perform badly in this respect, apparently with devastating consequences for households, especially poor ones and near-poor ones. Two principal methods have been used to measure financial protection in health. Both relate a household's out-of-pocket spending to a threshold defined in terms of living standards in the absence of the spending: the first defines spending as catastrophic if it exceeds a certain percentage of the living standards measure; the second defines spending as impoverishing if it makes the difference between a household being above and below the poverty line. The paper provides an overview of the methods and issues arising in each case, and presents empirical work in the area of financial protection in health, including the impacts of government policy. The paper also reviews a recent critique of the methods used to measure financial protection.

ELGIE MCFAYDEN, Kentucky State University
Email: elgie.mcfayden@kysu.edu

The United States is one of the most industrialized and technologically advanced nations in the world and yet more than 40 million people subsist on minimum wage. A third of the United States military earn wages which place them below the national poverty line and more than a million veterans, for a multitude of reasons are homeless. This explores the social and economic implications of implementing a national liveable wage in the United States. The purpose of this study is better understand the benefits and drawbacks associated with implementing a wage scale based on the cost of subsistence by region. This study will consider the cost to tax payers, the potential impact on employment opportunities, the impact on small and large businesses and the impact on local economies.

KEVIN HOLLENBECK, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Email: hollenbeck@upjohninstitute.org

States have begun to use training subsidies as a policy tool for employment retention and business competitiveness. This paper summarizes a survey of states concerning their investments in incumbent worker training. Altogether, states are investing about $550 to $800 million, which is perhaps one percent or less of total private sector training costs.

The paper further discusses a study conducted for one state in which we found significant fiscal returns implying that underinvestment of public funds for incumbent worker training may be occurring. In this state, primary sector jobs were created or retained at a public cost of less than $9,000 per job; a cost that rivals or bests most economic development initiatives.

ANDREEA BALAN-COHEN, Tufts University
Email: andreea.cohen@tufts.edu

How much have government programs improved elderly well-being? I examine the impact of OAA on mortality between 1930-1955. I construct two new data sets: a database on OAA, and a database on elderly mortality. To control for the joint determination of income and mortality, I use a simulated IV approach that relies on exogenous changes in OAA legislation. I find substantial reductions in mortality for vulnerable elderly groups, especially poor males. Mortality decreased mainly because of declines in risky behavior, infectious diseases (after the introduction of antibiotics), and suicides. Household survey analyses reveal changes in consumption consistent with these patterns.