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The effect of the affordable care act Medicaid expansions on financial wellbeing

Author

Listed:
  • Hu, Luojia
  • Kaestner, Robert
  • Mazumder, Bhashkar
  • Miller, Sarah
  • Wong, Ashley

Abstract

We examine the effect of the Medicaid expansions under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) on consumer financial outcomes using data from a major credit reporting agency for a large, national sample of adults. We employ the synthetic control method to compare individuals living in states that expanded Medicaid to those that did not. We find that the Medicaid expansions significantly reduced the number of unpaid bills and the amount of debt sent to third-party collection agencies among those residing in zip codes with the highest share of low-income, uninsured individuals. Our estimates imply a reduction in collection balances of approximately $1140 among those who gain Medicaid coverage due to the ACA. Our findings suggest that the ACA Medicaid expansions had important financial impacts beyond increasing health care use.

Suggested Citation

  • Hu, Luojia & Kaestner, Robert & Mazumder, Bhashkar & Miller, Sarah & Wong, Ashley, 2018. "The effect of the affordable care act Medicaid expansions on financial wellbeing," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 99-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:163:y:2018:i:c:p:99-112
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2018.04.009
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health insurance; Consumer finance; Public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods

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