Rachel J. Smit, M.P.A.
Senior Analyst
- Contact Rachel
- Call: 785-233-5443
Rachel J. Smit, M.P.A., Senior Analyst, conducts research and policy analysis with a focus on health care financing and organization. Smit earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, where she concentrated in Economics and Public Policy. Through her academic program, Smit served on a team of consultants for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and completed an internship with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ State Fiscal Project in Washington, D.C. Smit previously coordinated research on public benefits for a public policy consulting firm in Philadelphia, Pa. She also served as an aide to a member of the City Council in Oakland, Calif. Smit earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Anthropology from Carleton College.
Recent Work
Annual Insurance Update 2010
This annual report contains information about the sources of health insurance for Kansans and details the socio-demographic characteristics of the uninsured.
Memo to House Health and Human Services Committee on secondhand smoke impacts
The House Health and Human Services Committee requested additional information from the Kansas Health Institute on the impacts of secondhand smoke on three areas.
Testimony - Statewide Smoking Bans: A Research Perspective (2010 HB 2642)
In testimony to the House Health and Human Services Committee, KHI summarizes the research about the impact of smoke-free policies.
Measures of Underinsurance: Kansas as an Example of State-Level Estimates
This presentation describes the need for detailed, state-level data about the adequacy of health insurance plans.
Health Insurance and the Uninsured in Kansas
Updates from the March 2008 Current Population Survey
This annual publication of the Kansas Health Institute provides a snapshot of the insurance status of Kansans in various categories, including age, gender and work status. It also describes how the insurance status of Kansans is changing over time.
Testimony - Economic Impact of Lawrence Smoke-free Ordinance
In testimony to the House Health and Human Services Committee, KHI discussed the results of a study that found Lawrence’s smoke-free ordinance had no impact on overall sales in the restaurant and bar industry.
Testimony - Economic Impact of Lawrence Smoke-Free Ordinance
In testimony to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, KHI found no evidence that the adoption of a smoke-free ordinance in Lawrence had a negative impact on overall restaurant and bar sales. KHI also found no studies in scientific, peer-reviewed journals that document a long-term, negative, community-wide impact on restaurants and bars following implementation of a smoking ban.
Economic Impact of Lawrence Smoke-Free Ordinance
There has been much debate about the impact of Lawrence's comprehensive smoke-free ordinance on the restaurant and bar industry. This KHI study indicates that the ordinance did not negatively affect the industry as a whole.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance in Kansas
Employment, even full-time, is no guarantee of access to employer-sponsored insurance. This new issue brief discusses the availability of employer-based health insurance in Kansas.
Uninsured Young Adults in Kansas
Twenty-three percent of Kansans age 19-34 are uninsured. This fact sheet discusses this population and why these individuals are more likely to be uninsured than any other age group.