Full Citation

Title: In Sickness and in Health: Interaction Effects of State and Federal Health Insurance Coverage Mandates on Marriage of Young Adults

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2020

ISBN:

ISSN: 0022-166X

DOI: 10.3368/JHR.57.2.0118-9295R2

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Abstract: We study the interaction of state and federal dependent health insurance mandates on young adult marriages. Using a new dataset on state-level mandates, we show marriage restrictions of these laws reduced marriage likelihoods by about two percentage points. When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted, its mandate ended marriage restrictions, encouraging marriage among those previously eligible for state mandates. However, among those ineligible for state mandates, it discouraged marrying to obtain insurance through spouses. The combination of these contrasting ACA effects eliminated the marriage gap. We also find these marriage effects resulted in corresponding impacts on out-of-wedlock births.

Url: http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2020/03/03/jhr.57.2.0118-9295R2

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Barkowski, Scott; McLaughlin, Joanne Song

Periodical (Full): Journal of Human Resources

Issue: 2

Volume: 57

Pages: 637-688

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage, Health, Other, Population Health and Health Systems

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