Does Government Health Insurance Reduce Job Lock and Job Push?
43 Pages Posted: 7 Feb 2018
Date Written: June 29, 2017
Abstract
I study job lock and job push, the twin phenomena believed to be caused by employment-contingent health insurance (ECHI). Using variation in Medicaid eligibility among household members of male workers as a proxy for shifts in workers’ dependence on employment for health insurance, I estimate large job lock and job push effects. For married workers, Medicaid eligibility for one household member results in an increase in the likelihood of a voluntary job exit over a four-month period by approximately 34%. For job push, the transition rate into jobs with ECHI among all workers falls on average by 26%.
Keywords: Job Lock, Job Push, Medicaid, Job Mobility
JEL Classification: H41, I13, J6
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation