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
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: Suggested Citation