How do public health expansions vary by income strata? Evidence from Illinois' All Kids program

Inquiry. 2013 Spring;50(1):27-46. doi: 10.5034/inquiryjrnl_50.01.06.

Abstract

This paper examines how income levels affected the substitution of public health insurance for private health coverage under expansions of Illinois' State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Building on a technique developed by Abadie and Gardeazabal (2003), I estimate that among children whose family incomes are between 200% and 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL), 35% of those covered by SCHIP would have retained private coverage in the absence of SCHIP. Significant substitution also appears between 300% and 400% FPL, but surprisingly I find evidence that the introduction of SCHIP caused an increase in private health insurance coverage for those with family incomes between 400% and 500% FPL.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Eligibility Determination
  • Humans
  • Illinois
  • Income / statistics & numerical data*
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Insurance Coverage / economics*
  • Insurance Coverage / statistics & numerical data
  • Insurance, Health / economics*
  • Insurance, Health / statistics & numerical data
  • Poverty / statistics & numerical data
  • State Health Plans / statistics & numerical data*
  • United States