Black-White Gaps in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance

Helen Levy

AEA Papers and Proceedings, 2026, vol. 116, 406-411

Abstract: Using data from the Current Population Survey for 1988 through 2023, I find that Black-White differences in own-employer health insurance are highly persistent over time but differ sharply by sex: Black male workers are substantially less likely than White male workers to have ESHI, while Black female workers are more likely than White female workers to have ESHI. The mechanisms underlying the gaps differ fundamentally for men and women: Employer offering dominates for men, while take-up dominates for women. The findings underscore the importance of analyzing race and sex jointly rather than pooling groups or focusing only on men.

JEL-codes: G22 I13 J15 J32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20261096

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