Working Paper: NBER ID: w16669
Authors: Marianne P. Bitler; Christopher S. Carpenter
Abstract: We examine the effects of state health insurance mandates requiring coverage of screening mammograms. We find robust evidence that mammography mandates significantly increased mammography screenings by 4.5-25 percent. Effects are larger for women with less than a high school degree in states that ban deductibles, a policy similar to a provision of federal health reform that eliminates cost-sharing for preventive care. We also find that mandates increased detection of early stage in-situ pre-cancers. Finally, we find a substantial proportion of the increased screenings were attributable to mandates that are not consistent with current recommendations of the American Cancer Society.
Keywords: health insurance; mammography; breast cancer; preventive care
JEL Codes: I18
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| state health insurance mandates (I13) | mammography screenings (I18) |
| state health insurance mandates (I13) | detection of early-stage in situ precancers (O17) |
| state health insurance mandates (I13) | mammography screenings among women with less than a high school education (I24) |
| state health insurance mandates (I13) | mammography screenings in states that prohibit deductibles (I13) |