This paper investigates the effect of spousal
insurance coverage on married women's labor supply. This effect was hypothesized
to be negative, since married women have an incentive to seek employment in jobs
that will provide insurance when their husbands do not provide coverage. Panel
data from the 1996-2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys was used to control
for the potential correlation between unobserved characteristics and spousal
insurance. The findings suggest that spousal coverage does have a negative
effect on married women's labor supply, and that most of the reduction in labor
supply seems to derive from shifts out of the labor force rather than between
part-time and full-time work. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
My Research