The Effects of Contraceptive and Young Adult Dependent Coverage Mandates on Coverage, Care and General and Reproductive Health Outcomes

53 Pages Posted: 22 Jan 2016

See all articles by Jennifer Trudeau

Jennifer Trudeau

Sacred Heart University

Karen Smith Conway

University of New Hampshire - Department of Economics

Date Written: January 21, 2016

Abstract

This research investigates two features of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that especially affect young adults, the young adult dependent coverage (YADC) mandate and the requirement to cover contraception. Both mandates were enacted at the state level prior to the ACA. However, existing research only studies each mandate in isolation and does not consider a comprehensive set of outcomes. We estimate models that allow the two mandates to have joint effects on a wide range of outcomes, including insurance coverage, health care access, health outcomes and fertility. Our results lend support to past YADC research by finding that YADCs (only) increase health insurance coverage and help settle the mixed findings of contraception mandate research by finding no meaningful impact, of either mandate, on fertility. We also provide suggestive evidence that the two mandates reinforce each other to improve the affordability of health care and the mental health of young adults.

Keywords: insurance mandates, young adult dependent coverage, contraception, insurance coverage, access to care, fertility, health outcomes

JEL Classification: I1

Suggested Citation

Trudeau, Jennifer and Conway, Karen Smith, The Effects of Contraceptive and Young Adult Dependent Coverage Mandates on Coverage, Care and General and Reproductive Health Outcomes (January 21, 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2720382 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2720382

Jennifer Trudeau (Contact Author)

Sacred Heart University ( email )

5151 Park Avenue
Fairfield, CT 06825
United States

Karen Smith Conway

University of New Hampshire - Department of Economics ( email )

Durham, NH 03824
United States

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