Working Paper: NBER ID: w9346
Authors: Jay Bhattacharya; Dana Goldman; Neeraj Sood
Abstract: As policymakers consider expanding insurance coverage for HIV+ individuals, it is useful to ask if insurance has any affect on health outcomes; and, if so, whether public insurance is as efficacious as private insurance in preventing premature deaths among HIV+ patients. Using data from a nationally representative cohort of HIV-infected persons receiving regular medical care, we estimate the impact of different types of insurance on mortality in this population. We find that ignoring observed and unobserved health status leads one to conclude (misleadingly) that insurance may not be protective for HIV patients. After accounting for observed and unobserved heterogeneity, insurance does protect against premature death, but private insurance is more effective than public coverage. The better outcomes associated with private insurance are attributable to the more restrictive prescription drug policies of Medicaid.
Keywords: health insurance; HIV; mortality; public insurance; private insurance
JEL Codes: I0
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Health status (I14) | Insurance choices (G52) |
| Insurance type (G52) | HIV-related mortality (I12) |
| Private insurance (G52) | HIV-related mortality (I12) |
| Public insurance (I13) | HIV-related mortality (I12) |