AEA Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Black-White Gaps in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
AEA Papers and Proceedings
(pp. 406–411)
Abstract
Using data from the Current Population Survey for 1988 through 2023, I find that Black-White differences in own-employer health insurance are highly persistent over time but differ sharply by sex: Black male workers are substantially less likely than White male workers to have ESHI, while Black female workers are more likely than White female workers to have ESHI. The mechanisms underlying the gaps differ fundamentally for men and women: Employer offering dominates for men, while take-up dominates for women. The findings underscore the importance of analyzing race and sex jointly rather than pooling groups or focusing only on men.Citation
Levy, Helen. 2026. "Black-White Gaps in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance." AEA Papers and Proceedings 116: 406–411. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20261096Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- G22 Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
- I13 Health Insurance, Public and Private
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J32 Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions