Legal status and health disparities: An examination of health insurance coverage among the foreign-born

Christal Hamilton, James Bachmeier, Claire Altman and Cody Spence
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Christal Hamilton: Columbia University
James Bachmeier: Temple University
Claire Altman: University of Missouri
Cody Spence: Temple University

Demographic Research, 2022, vol. 47, issue 16, 453-488

Abstract: Objective: This paper employs a statistical matching procedure to impute the legal status of foreign-born adults in US Census surveys in order to estimate migration status disparities in health insurance coverage. Methods: Using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, we impute the legal/citizenship (migration) status of immigrants in the National Health Interview Survey. Results: Results from the pooled data document disparities in health insurance coverage among four citizen/legal status groups: naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, legal nonimmigrants, and unauthorized immigrants. Naturalized citizens had the highest rate of health insurance coverage, followed by legal immigrants, legal nonimmigrants, and unauthorized immigrants. Contribution: The paper presents revised pre–Affordable Care Act (ACA) estimates of health insurance coverage among the foreign-born that are crucial for evaluating the impact of the ACA on reducing or exacerbating disparities in health coverage among migration status groups.

Keywords: health insurance; immigration; legal status; imputation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dem:demres:v:47:y:2022:i:16

DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2022.47.16

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