TY - JOUR
T1 - Health insurance coverage of the unemployed
T2 - COBRA and the potential effects of Kassebaum-Kennedy
AU - Berger, Mark C.
AU - Black, Dan A.
AU - Scott, Frank A.
AU - Chandra, Amitabh
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - We use the April 1993 Current Population Survey to examine the health insurance coverage decisions of the unemployed and to simulate the potential effects of the new Kassebaum-Kennedy legislation. After controlling for demographic characteristics, COBRA eligibility raises the probability of health insurance coverage by 0.095, while eligibility for spouse employer insurance increases the likelihood of coverage by 0.318, and eligibility for both increases the likelihood of coverage by 0.341. In our simulations, we find that had Kassebaum-Kennedy been in effect in April 1993, 9.0 percent of the unemployed would be eligible to take up coverage, and the coverage rate of the unemployed would have been increased by 0.85 percent to 1.5 percent from 41.6 percent. Our estimates of the effect of Kassebaum-Kennedy on health insurance coverage are much lower than those reported by the Government Accounting Office prior to the passage of the legislation.
AB - We use the April 1993 Current Population Survey to examine the health insurance coverage decisions of the unemployed and to simulate the potential effects of the new Kassebaum-Kennedy legislation. After controlling for demographic characteristics, COBRA eligibility raises the probability of health insurance coverage by 0.095, while eligibility for spouse employer insurance increases the likelihood of coverage by 0.318, and eligibility for both increases the likelihood of coverage by 0.341. In our simulations, we find that had Kassebaum-Kennedy been in effect in April 1993, 9.0 percent of the unemployed would be eligible to take up coverage, and the coverage rate of the unemployed would have been increased by 0.85 percent to 1.5 percent from 41.6 percent. Our estimates of the effect of Kassebaum-Kennedy on health insurance coverage are much lower than those reported by the Government Accounting Office prior to the passage of the legislation.
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U2 - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6688(199922)18:3<430::aid-pam7>3.0.co;2-b
DO - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6688(199922)18:3<430::aid-pam7>3.0.co;2-b
M3 - Article
C2 - 10558511
AN - SCOPUS:0040036751
SN - 0276-8739
VL - 18
SP - 430
EP - 448
JO - Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
JF - Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
IS - 3
ER -