RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 In Sickness and in Health JF Journal of Human Resources JO J Hum Resour FD University of Wisconsin Press SP 637 OP 688 DO 10.3368/jhr.57.2.0118-9295R2 VO 57 IS 2 A1 Barkowski, Scott A1 McLaughlin, Joanne Song YR 2022 UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/57/2/637.abstract AB We study the interaction of state and federal dependent health insurance mandates on young adult marriages. Using a new data set on state-level mandates, we show marriage restrictions of these laws reduced marriage likelihoods by about two percentage points. When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted, its mandate ended marriage restrictions, encouraging marriage among those previously eligible for state mandates. However, among those ineligible for state mandates, it discouraged marrying to obtain insurance through spouses. The combination of these contrasting ACA effects eliminated the marriage gap. We also find these marriage effects resulted in corresponding impacts on out-of-wedlock births.