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Effects of Subsidized Health Insurance on Newborn Health in Colombia

Author

Listed:
  • Adriana Camacho
  • Emily Conover

Abstract

Colombia's rapid expansion of health insurance coverage in the 1990s provides an opportunity to evaluate whether health insurance coverage positively affects health care usage and outcomes. We use the discontinuity in eligibility for the Subsidized Regime (SR), the subsidized health insurance for the poor, to see if the Subsidized Regime increased the incidence of doctor assisted births, prenatal care, and hospital deliveries; and if it improved newborn health measured by birth weight, gestation period, Apgar score and incidence of low (lbw) and very low birth weight (vlbw). We find that the Subsidized Regime had positive effects on newborn birth weight, but although positive, not consistently significant effects on other health measures or access to medical personnel and facilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Adriana Camacho & Emily Conover, 2008. "Effects of Subsidized Health Insurance on Newborn Health in Colombia," Documentos CEDE 5007, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000089:005007
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    File URL: https://repositorio.uniandes.edu.co/bitstream/handle/1992/8066/dcede2008-14.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Carlos medina & Jairo Núñez & Jorge Andrés Tamayo, 2013. "The Unemployment Subsidy Program in Colombia: An Assessment," Borradores de Economia 750, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    2. Adriana Camacho & Emily Conover, 2009. "Manipulation of Social Program Eligibility: Detection, Explanations and Consequences for Empirical Research," Documentos CEDE 6211, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health subsidies; child health outcomes; birth weight; prenatal care;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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