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Nurse practitioner scope of practice law and safety net participation: Evidence from WIC

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  • Owen Fleming
  • Lilly Springer

Abstract

Given that nurse practitioners (NPs) are likely to practice in underserved areas, NP scope of practice reform may have spillover effects on safety net program participation. Leveraging the staggered rollout of NP full practice authority (FPA) across states, we estimate the effect of NP FPA on Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation. We find that starting 4–5 years after FPA, WIC participation increases by 4.1%, rising to 7.4% a decade post‐FPA. The increase is driven by the enrollment of women and children and may be attributable to the patient‐centered care delivery of NPs, which reduces the stigma and information costs associated with WIC participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Owen Fleming & Lilly Springer, 2026. "Nurse practitioner scope of practice law and safety net participation: Evidence from WIC," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 44(3), pages 634-655, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:44:y:2026:i:3:p:634-655
    DOI: 10.1111/coep.70019
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