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Health insurance and fertility among low-income, childless, single women: evidence from the ACA Medicaid expansions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2023

J. Sebastian Leguizamon Open the ORCID record for J. Sebastian Leguizamon [Opens in a new window]
J. Sebastian Leguizamon*
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
*
Email: j.sebastian.leguizamon@wku.edu
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Abstract

Expansions of Medicaid family planning services have been associated with decreases in pregnancy rates. Access to a broader range of medical, non-family planning services may influence pregnancy rates as well if the increased exposure to medical services spills over to other kinds of behaviour. Using a difference-in-difference approach, I examine the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansions on the propensity of low-income, single women to become single mothers. Previous expansions of Medicaid family planning services allow us to also investigate the influence of access to other medical services (i.e. non-family planning). I find that although access to contraceptives is associated with a reduction in the propensity of becoming a single mother among adult, low-income women, medical services beyond access to contraceptives can provide additional impacts.

Keywords

Affordable Care ActMedicaidpregnancy

JEL classification

I13: Health Insurance, Public and Private I12: Health Behavior J13: Fertility • Family Planning • Child Care • Children • Youth
Type
Article
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 2024 , pp. 21 - 45
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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