|
Abstract:
|
This thesis examined the question: Does SCHIP increase children's access to medical care? SCHIP, the State Children's Health Insurance program, was enacted by Congress in 1997, and built on the Medicaid model to expand public health insurance coverage to children with family incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid. Building on previous studies demonstrating the relationship between health insurance and access to care, this study analyzed data from the 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). A probit model was constructed, with the primary outcome being the probability of having a usual source of care; a proxy for access to care. After controlling for a variety of socioeconomic and demographic factors, a key finding of the study was that, among the SCHIP eligible population of children, those enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid programs were not only significantly more likely than uninsured children to have a usual source of care, but were also significantly more likely than those with private insurance to have a usual source of care. This study therefore provides strong evidence that SCHIP is related to an increase in children's access to medical care. |