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Effects of Infertility Insurance Mandates on Fertility

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Abstract

Infertility currently affects over 6 million individuals in the United States. While most health insurance plans nationwide do not cover infertility diagnoses or treatments, to date fifteen states have enacted some form of infertility insurance mandate. In this paper, I use data from the Vital Statistics Detail Natality Data and Census population estimates to examine whether these statelevel mandates were successful in increasing fertility rates. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I exploit variation in the enactment of mandates both across states and over time, and identify control groups that should not have been affected by infertility coverage. My results suggest that the mandates significantly increase first birth rates for women over 35, and these results are robust to a number of specification tests.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucie Schmidt, 2005. "Effects of Infertility Insurance Mandates on Fertility," Department of Economics Working Papers 2005-07, Department of Economics, Williams College.
    • Handle: RePEc:wil:wileco:2005-07
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    File URL: https://web.williams.edu/Economics/wp/schmidtinfertility.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rajeev Dehejia & Adriana Lleras-Muney, 2004. "Booms, Busts, and Babies' Health," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 119(3), pages 1091-1130.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    infertility; impaired fecundity; insurance mandates; fertility;

    JEL classification:

    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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