Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Insurance Coverage for Sexual Minority Adults

• In Event: Uneven Impacts of Universal Policies related to Health and Economic Equity

Abstract

Over the past two decades, disparities in insurance coverage between heterosexual and sexual minority (SM) adults have declined. Using data from Waves 3, 4, and 5 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we conduct a difference-in-difference analysis to assess the impact of Medicaid expansion on insurance coverage across SM groups in early- to mid-adulthood. Preliminary results demonstrate that residing in an expansion state increased insurance coverage for SM groups by 1.6%, though this effect varied by sexual orientation, with the largest coverage gains concentrated among bisexuals (5.1% increase). As states’ Medicaid programs now face increasing uncertainty, our paper offers evidence that reductions in Medicaid coverage are likely to disproportionately impact SM groups with substantial effects on public health.

Author

• Sarah Petry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Presenting Author