Medicaid Expansion and the Unemployed

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Labor Economics
Year: 2021
Volume: 39
Issue: S2
Pages: S575 - S617

Authors (3)

Thomas C. Buchmueller (not in RePEc) Helen Levy (not in RePEc) Robert G. Valletta (Institute of Labor Economics (...)

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

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

Abstract

We examine how a key provision of the Affordable Care Act—the expansion of Medicaid eligibility—affected health insurance coverage, access to care, and labor market transitions of unemployed workers. Comparing trends in states that implemented the Medicaid expansion to those that did not, we find that the expansion substantially increased insurance coverage and improved access to health care among unemployed workers. We then test whether the expansion affected transitions from unemployment to employment or out of the labor force. We find no meaningful statistical evidence in support of moral hazard effects that reduce job finding or labor force attachment.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jlabec:doi:10.1086/712478
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-29