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Covering Undocumented Immigrants: The Effects of a Large-Scale Prenatal Care Intervention

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  • Sarah Miller
  • Laura Wherry

Abstract

Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for public insurance coverage for prenatal care in most states, despite their children representing a large fraction of births and having U.S. citizenship. In this paper, we examine a policy that expanded Medicaid pregnancy coverage to undocumented immigrants. Using a novel dataset that links California birth records to Census surveys, we identify siblings born to immigrant mothers before and after the policy. Implementing a mothers' fixed effects design, we find that the policy increased coverage for and use of prenatal care among pregnant immigrant women, and increased average gestation length and birth weight among their children.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Miller & Laura Wherry, 2022. "Covering Undocumented Immigrants: The Effects of a Large-Scale Prenatal Care Intervention," Working Papers 22-28, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:22-28
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    File URL: https://www2.census.gov/ces/wp/2022/CES-WP-22-28.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    29. repec:ucn:wpaper:10197/317 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Amelia A. Hawkins & Christopher A. Hollrah & Sarah Miller & Laura R. Wherry & Gloria Aldana & Mitchell D. Wong, 2023. "The Long-Term Effects of Income for At-Risk Infants: Evidence from Supplemental Security Income," NBER Working Papers 31746, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Kennedy-Moulton, Kate & Miller, Sarah & Persson, Petra & Rossin-Slater, Maya & Wherry, Laura R. & Aldana, Gloria, 2022. "Maternal and Infant Health Inequality: New Evidence from Linked Administrative Data," IZA Discussion Papers 15745, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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