Funded Projects

(SDAS) Born on Reform: Infant and Maternal Health in Massachusetts

Grantee: University of Maryland
Principal Investigator: Michel Boudreaux
Project Number: R40MC28310
Project Date: 04/01/2015

Age group(s)

• Prenatal
• Perinatal/Infancy (0-12 months)

Abstract

Our proposed project will examine the impact of Massachusetts health reform on infant and maternal health. The 2006 reform served as the blueprint for federal reform implemented under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Thus, Massachusetts offers an important case study for guiding expectations of the ACA. Massachusetts reform substantially reduced the uninsured rate, increased access to care, reduced financial hardships and improved child and adult health. However, no previous study has examined Massachusetts health reform's effect on infant and maternal health. We will use individual data from the Detailed Natality Files, the Linked Birth-Infant Death Files, and the Health Care Utilization Project. We will examine a comprehensive set of health outcomes including birth weight, gestational age at birth, APGAR scores, infant mortality, pregnancy related hypertension, eclampsia, pregnancy related diabetes, and a composite measure of pregnancy complications. Our empirical approach is based on a quasi-experimental design that will control for secular trends that co-occurred with the implementation of reform. We will estimate difference-in-differences and triple differences models that compare changes in Massachusetts to changes in a set of control states, from pre to post reform. Our results will provide important and timely feedback to policy makers as they continue to implement the ACA. Our project supports MCHB Strategic Research Issues (#II and #IV) and Healthy People 2020 Objectives related to infant health and universal health insurance coverage

Publications

Listed is descending order by year published.

Boudreaux MH, Dagher RK, Lorch SA. The Association of Health Reform and Infant Health: Evidence from Massachusetts. Health Serv Res. 2017 Oct 2. [Epub ahead of print].