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The effect of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on marriage

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  • Matt Hampton
  • Otto Lenhart

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions on marital behavior. We use data from the American Community Survey from 2008 to 2019 and estimate difference‐in‐differences models to test for effects on marriage and divorce outcomes. We find that expansions led to a 0.95% reduction in marriage stock and a 2.22% increase in divorce stock, with effects being larger among low educated individuals. We believe that two factors play a role as underlying mechanisms: (1) reduced reliance on spousal insurance coverage and (2) deciding to forego marriage or get divorced to meet eligibility restrictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Matt Hampton & Otto Lenhart, 2022. "The effect of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on marriage," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(2), pages 568-591, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:60:y:2022:i:2:p:568-591
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.13052
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert Kaestner & Bowen Garrett & Jiajia Chen & Anuj Gangopadhyaya & Caitlyn Fleming, 2017. "Effects of ACA Medicaid Expansions on Health Insurance Coverage and Labor Supply," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 608-642, June.
    2. Borgschulte, Mark & Vogler, Jacob, 2020. "Did the ACA Medicaid expansion save lives?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
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    12. Yaa Akosa Antwi & Asako S. Moriya & Kosali Simon, 2013. "Effects of Federal Policy to Insure Young Adults: Evidence from the 2010 Affordable Care Act's Dependent-Coverage Mandate," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 1-28, November.
    13. J Matthew Hampton & Otto Lenhart, 2019. "'Til insurance do us part: the effect of the affordable care act preexisting conditions provision on marriage," Working Papers 1902, University of Strathclyde Business School, Department of Economics.
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    15. Joelle Abramowitz & Marcus Dillender, 2017. "Considering the Use of Stock and Flow Outcomes in Empirical Analyses: An Examination of Marriage Data," Working Papers 17-64, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    16. Lindsey Rose Bullinger, 2021. "Child Support and the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansions," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(1), pages 42-77, January.
    17. Matt Hampton & Otto Lenhart, 2019. "The effect of the Affordable Care Act preexisting conditions provision on marriage," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(11), pages 1345-1355, November.
    18. Pauline Leung & Alexandre Mas, 2016. "Employment Effects of the ACA Medicaid Expansions," Working Papers 594, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    19. Charles Courtemanche & James Marton & Benjamin Ukert & Aaron Yelowitz & Daniela Zapata, 2017. "Early Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage in Medicaid Expansion and Non‐Expansion States," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(1), pages 178-210, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Isaac, Elliott & Jiang, Haibin, 2022. "Tax-Based Marriage Incentives in the Affordable Care Act," IZA Discussion Papers 15331, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Margaret Gough Courtney, 2023. "Did the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid Expansion Change Cohabitation Trends?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(3), pages 1-26, June.
    3. Margaret E. Blume-Kohout, 2024. "Entrepreneurship Lock and the Demand for Health Insurance: Evidence from the US Affordable Care Act," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 77(2), pages 199-226, March.
    4. Laura Connolly & Matt Hampton & Otto Lenhart, 2024. "Labor mobility and the Affordable Care Act: Heterogeneous impacts of the preexisting conditions provision," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(1), pages 157-191, January.

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