Author: Lee, Ho Jin ; Tian, Wei-Hua
Working Paper : The State Children's Health Insurance Program: Participation and Substitution (PDF); October 2004
Research Description:
With State Children's Health Insurance Program, states adopted policies aimed at increasing
enrollment, preventing substitution of private coverage, and sharing costs with beneficiaries. We
examine the effects of four policies on the insurance coverage of children: income eligibility,
presumptive eligibility, premiums, and waiting periods. Using data covering 1995-2001, we
generally find statistically significant effects on both public insurance take-up decision and
uninsurance. Both the income eligibility and presumptive eligibility policies increase public
insurance participation and decrease uninsurance. Increasing the waiting period between the
discontinuation of private coverage and eligibility into the public program decreases the take-up
of public insurance and increases uninsurance. Reducing the net value of public health insurance
through increasing premiums decreases the take-up of public insurance. |
