Work Incentives of Medicaid Beneficiaries and the Role of Asset Testing

B-Tier
Journal: International Economic Review
Year: 2017
Volume: 58
Issue: 4
Pages: 1117-1154

Score contribution per author:

1.009 = (α=2.02 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Should asset testing be used in means‐tested programs? Focusing on Medicaid, we show that in the asymmetric information environment, there is a positive role for asset testing. Our tool is a general equilibrium model with heterogeneous agents. We find that 23% of Medicaid enrollees do not work in order to be eligible. These distortions are costly: If Medicaid eligibility could be linked to (unobservable) productivity, this results in substantial welfare gains. We show that asset testing can achieve a similar outcome when asset limits are allowed to be different for workers and nonworkers.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:iecrev:v:58:y:2017:i:4:p:1117-1154
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-28