Did the Affordable Care Act's Dependent Coverage Expansion Affect Race/Ethnic Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage?

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To test the impact of the dependent coverage expansion (DCE) on insurance disparities across race/ethnic groups.

Data sources/study setting

Survey data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Study design

Triple-difference (DDD) models were applied to repeated cross-sectional surveys of the U.S. adult population.

Data collection/extraction methods

Data from 6 years (2008-2013) of the NSDUH were combined.

Principal findings

Following the DCE, the relative odds of insurance increased 1.5 times (95 percent CI 1.1, 1.9) among whites compared to blacks and 1.4 times (95 percent CI 1.1, 1.8) among whites compared to Hispanics.

Conclusions

Health reform efforts, such as the DCE, can have negative effects on race/ethnic disparit

SUBMITTER: Breslau J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5867154 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature