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Research ArticleArticle

Who Benefits From Free Health Insurance: Evidence from Mexico

Gabriella Conti and Rita Ginja
Published online before print December 14, 2020, 1117-9157R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.58.3.1117-9157R2
Gabriella Conti
Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the University College London and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London.
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Rita Ginja
Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at Department of Economics at the University of Bergen.
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Abstract

We present a comprehensive evaluation of the health impacts of the introduction and expansion of a large non-contributory health insurance program in Mexico, the Seguro Popular (SP). SP provided access to health services without co-pays to individuals with no Social Security protection. We identify the program impacts using its rollout across municipalities between 2002 and 2010. In general, we do not detect significant effects on mortality (overall or at any age); the only exception is a reduction in infant mortality (IM) in poor municipalities for which intention-to-treat estimates show a 10% decline due to SP. This decline is attributable to reductions in deaths associated with conditions originating in the perinatal period, congenital malformations, diarrhea and respiratory infections. In these poor municipalities, SP increased obstetric-related hospital admissions by 7%, and hospital admissions among infants by 6%. There were no impacts on mortality or use of hospitals in rich municipalities. The decline in IM rate caused by SP closed nearly all the IMR gap between poor and rich municipalities.

JEL Codes
  • H10
  • I12
  • I13
  • J13
  • O18.
Keywords
  • Health Insurance
  • Infant Mortality
  • Health Care Utilization
  • Mexico.

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Journal of Human Resources: 58 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 58, Issue 3
1 May 2023
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Who Benefits From Free Health Insurance: Evidence from Mexico
Gabriella Conti, Rita Ginja
Journal of Human Resources Dec 2020, 1117-9157R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.58.3.1117-9157R2

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Who Benefits From Free Health Insurance: Evidence from Mexico
Gabriella Conti, Rita Ginja
Journal of Human Resources Dec 2020, 1117-9157R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.58.3.1117-9157R2
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Keywords

  • H10
  • I12
  • I13
  • J13
  • O18.
  • Health Insurance
  • infant mortality
  • Health Care Utilization
  • Mexico.
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