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Are publicly insured children less likely to be admitted to hospital than the privately insured (and does it matter)?

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  • Alexander, Diane
  • Currie, Janet

Abstract

There is continuing controversy about the extent to which publicly insured children are treated differently than privately insured children, and whether differences in treatment matter. We show that on average, hospitals are less likely to admit publicly insured children than privately insured children who present at the ER and the gap grows during high flu weeks, when hospital beds are in high demand. This pattern is present even after controlling for detailed diagnostic categories and hospital fixed effects, but does not appear to have any effect on measurable health outcomes such as repeat ER visits and future hospitalizations. Hence, our results raise the possibility that instead of too few publicly insured children being admitted during high flu weeks, there are too many publicly and privately insured children being admitted most of the time.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander, Diane & Currie, Janet, 2017. "Are publicly insured children less likely to be admitted to hospital than the privately insured (and does it matter)?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 33-51.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:25:y:2017:i:c:p:33-51
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2016.10.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Slusky, David J.G. & Zeckhauser, Richard J., 2021. "Sunlight and Protection Against Influenza," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    2. Alexander, Diane & Currie, Janet & Schnell, Molly, 2019. "Check up before you check out: Retail clinics and emergency room use," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    3. Dauth, Christine, 2021. "The effects of private versus public health insurance on health and labor market outcomes," IAB-Discussion Paper 202103, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    4. Janet Currie & David Slusky, 2020. "Does the Marginal Hospitalization Save Lives? The Case of Respiratory Admissions for the Elderly," Working Papers 2020-69, Princeton University. Economics Department..

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public health insurance; Unnecessary hospitalization; Child hospitalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private

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