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KMID : 1170320160220030067
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Korean Journal of Health Economics and Policy
2016 Volume.22 No. 3 p.67 ~ p.98
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The effects of the health insurance coverage expansion for prenatal care on health care utilization and health outcomes
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Hong Jeong-Rim
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Abstract
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In this study, I investigate the effects of the health insurance coverage expansion for prenatal care on health care utilization among pregnant women and on the health outcomes of the newborns. I also analyze whether the policy effects differed depending on the characteristics of pregnant women. Because the coverage expansion was not applied uniformly across all diseases, I adopt the Difference-in-Difference method to estimate the causal effect. Furthermore, I estimate the effects of the change in prenatal care on the health outcomes of the newborns. The results of the difference-in-difference estimations suggest that the coverage expansion for prenatal care led to an increase in health care utilization compared to control groups. Crucially, the coverage expansion improved the prenatal care of pregnant women who had previously received less than the adequate level or had received comparatively less than other pregnant women. This increase in prenatal care, in turn, improved the health outcomes of the newborns.
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KEYWORD
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Health insurance coverage, Prenatal care, Health outcomes, Low birth weight
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