Medicaid for Middle-Class Families? Job Loss and Health Insurance Coverage of Parents and Children
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Series
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Speaker(s)Mariana Zerpa (University of Chile, Chile)
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LocationErasmus University Rotterdam, Polak 2-18
Rotterdam -
Date and time
June 03, 2024
11:30 - 12:30
Abstract
We use event study methodology to estimate the effects of job loss on the health insurance coverage of children and parents and identify the mitigating role of public insurance (Medicaid/CHIP). We document striking differences in family insurance coverage patterns after job loss across three income groups, with the largest loss of private health insurance occurring in middle class families. While this leads to large gaps in insurance coverage for middle-class parents, we find that access to public health insurance mitigates the effects on children's coverage through two channels: reduced exposure before job loss and increased take up afterwards. Joint paper with with Chloe East, Elira Kuka and Jessamyn Schaller.