The Link Between Public and Private Insurance and HIV-Related Mortality / Jay Bhattacharya, Dana Goldman, Neeraj Sood.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bhattacharya, Jay.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Goldman, Dana.

Sood, Neeraj.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w9346.

NBER working paper series no. w9346

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2002.

Summary:

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.

Notes:

Print version record

November 2002.