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Affordable Care Act Insurance Coverage Gains in the Midwest: Evidence from the Dependent Coverage Provision [Presentation]

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

This paper analyzes how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Dependent Coverage Provision affected insurance coverage in the Midwestern region. The Dependent Coverage Provision allows individuals ages 19 to 25 to remain as dependents on parental health insurance plans. This provision was implemented to decrease the number of young adults who were uninsured. Using data from the American Community Survey spanning the years 2008-2013 and estimating difference-in-differences models, we test the impact of the policy implementation on health insurance coverage among a sample of Midwestern young adults. Under our preferred specification, which includes two-way fixed effects as well as controls for observable characteristics, we find that the policy led to a 5.63 percent increase in insurance coverage among young adults in the region. In an analysis of policy heterogeneity, we find that the Dependent Coverage Provision had the largest impact among Black males that were unemployed, a subgroup that likely had difficulty acquiring appropriate health insurance prior to the ACA. Our study indicates that the Dependent Coverage Provision was effective in increasing the number of insured individuals.

Start Date

13-4-2021 11:00 AM

End Date

13-4-2021 12:00 PM

Faculty Advisor

Matt Hampton

Department

Department of Economics

Student Type

Undergraduate Student

Comments

This entry was part of the following session of the event:

  • Session title: Social Issues & Political Perspectives; Tuesday, April 13, 2021; 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; Moderator: Matthew Bunker.

Electronic copy is not available through UNI ScholarWorks.

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Apr 13th, 11:00 AM Apr 13th, 12:00 PM

Affordable Care Act Insurance Coverage Gains in the Midwest: Evidence from the Dependent Coverage Provision [Presentation]

This paper analyzes how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Dependent Coverage Provision affected insurance coverage in the Midwestern region. The Dependent Coverage Provision allows individuals ages 19 to 25 to remain as dependents on parental health insurance plans. This provision was implemented to decrease the number of young adults who were uninsured. Using data from the American Community Survey spanning the years 2008-2013 and estimating difference-in-differences models, we test the impact of the policy implementation on health insurance coverage among a sample of Midwestern young adults. Under our preferred specification, which includes two-way fixed effects as well as controls for observable characteristics, we find that the policy led to a 5.63 percent increase in insurance coverage among young adults in the region. In an analysis of policy heterogeneity, we find that the Dependent Coverage Provision had the largest impact among Black males that were unemployed, a subgroup that likely had difficulty acquiring appropriate health insurance prior to the ACA. Our study indicates that the Dependent Coverage Provision was effective in increasing the number of insured individuals.