Medicaid Coverage and Medical Interventions During Pregnancy

This paper extends prior research on the effect of Medicaid coverage on medical interventions during pregnancy (prenatal ultrasound) and birth (ultrasound during delivery, cesarean delivery, inducement, and fetal monitor). The data are from two sources: the New York State Vital Statistics (VS) matched infant birth-death file and the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) file for 1993–1996. Medicaid coverage increases the likelihood of teens and adults receiving prenatal care relative to being uninsured. Overall, the effect of insurance type varies depending on whether the procedure is part of standard care (ultrasound and fetal monitor) or more likely to be elective (inducement and cesarean delivery). Insurance type has a greater effect for elective procedures than for procedures that are part of standard care