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Pathways Between Minimum Wages and Health: The Roles of Health Insurance, Health Care Access and Health Care Utilization

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  • Otto Lenhart

    (University of Strathclyde)

Abstract

This study contributes to recent work on the relationship between minimum wages and health by examining potential underlying mechanisms. Specifically, the roles of health insurance, health care access and utilization are explored. By analyzing Current Population Survey data for the years 1989–2009 and by estimating DD models, I find that higher minimum wages increase health insurance coverage, in particular individually purchased insurance, among low-educated individuals. By estimating data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for the same period, I furthermore provide evidence for improvements in health care access/affordability and increased health care utilization following minimum wage increases.

Suggested Citation

  • Otto Lenhart, 2020. "Pathways Between Minimum Wages and Health: The Roles of Health Insurance, Health Care Access and Health Care Utilization," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 46(3), pages 438-459, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:46:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1057_s41302-019-00152-5
    DOI: 10.1057/s41302-019-00152-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Lenhart, Otto, 2021. "The effects of minimum wages on teenage birth rates," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    2. Lucas Hafner & Benjamin Lochner, 2022. "Do minimum wages improve self-rated health? Evidence from a natural experiment," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(6), pages 2989-3014, June.
    3. Lenhart, Otto & Chakraborty, Kalyan, 2024. "Income assistance programs and population health – The dual impact of minimum wages and the earned income tax credit," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    4. Leigh, J. Paul, 2021. "Treatment design, health outcomes, and demographic categories in the literature on minimum wages and health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Minimum wages; Health; Pathways; Health care access; Health behaviors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private

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