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The Effect of the Health Insurance Mandate on Labor Market Activity and Time Allocation: Evidence from the Federal Dependent Coverage Provision

Author

Listed:
  • Otto Lenhart

    (Department of Economics, Emory University)

  • Vinish Shrestha

    (Department of Economics, Towson University)

Abstract

The primary goal of the federal dependent coverage mandate was to increase health insurance coverage among young adults, the group with the lowest prevalence of health insurance coverage. To understand the full impacts of the federal dependent coverage mandate, it is important to evaluate how the mandate affects labor market activities and time spent away from work among young adults. Using data from the Consumer Population Survey (CPS) and the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and implementing a difference-in-differences framework, we find: 1) Young adults substitute employer sponsored insurance for dependent coverage, 2) Affected individuals reduce their work time and switch from full- to part-time employment, and 3) The additional time from reduced labor market activity is reallocated towards more time spent on leisure activities. The effects of the mandate on labor market activities are stronger in later years. Furthermore, we show that young adults do not increase the time they spend on activities that could enhance their human capital such as education and health, which reemphasizes potential unintended consequences of the mandate. These findings suggest that future work is necessary to fully understand the overall welfare effects of the policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Otto Lenhart & Vinish Shrestha, 2016. "The Effect of the Health Insurance Mandate on Labor Market Activity and Time Allocation: Evidence from the Federal Dependent Coverage Provision," Working Papers 2016-10, Towson University, Department of Economics, revised Apr 2016.
    • Handle: RePEc:tow:wpaper:2016-10
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gregory Colman & Dhaval Dave, 2018. "It'S About Time: Effects Of The Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Mandate On Time Use," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 36(1), pages 44-58, January.
    2. Barbaresco, Silvia & Courtemanche, Charles J. & Qi, Yanling, 2015. "Impacts of the Affordable Care Act dependent coverage provision on health-related outcomes of young adults," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 54-68.
    3. Youjin Hahn & Hee-Seung Yang, 2016. "Do Work Decisions among Young Adults Respond to Extended Dependent Coverage?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 69(3), pages 737-771, May.
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    5. 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.
    6. Depew, Briggs, 2015. "The effect of state dependent mandate laws on the labor supply decisions of young adults," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 123-134.
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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dependent coverage mandate; labor market outcomes; time use.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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