Research
Working Papers
Public Payment Mandates and Provider Supply
with Lauren Hoehn-Velasco , Olanrewaju Yusuff
Public insurance reimbursement policies shape the structure and reach of healthcare markets. In this study, we examine the 1980 federal Medicaid mandate requiring states to reimburse Certified Nurse-Midwives, one of the first reforms targeting non-physician providers. We find the mandate increased midwife-attended deliveries by 1.1 percentage points, an 80% rise, adding about 1,100 midwife births annually per state by 1985. We also document a geographic expansion of midwife services into unserved areas and increased hospital employment, consistent with supply-side labor market responses. Our findings demonstrate that reimbursement mandates directly alter healthcare delivery by expanding provider use and reshaping the workforce.
Updated Version: September 2025
Bytes and Births: The effect of Broadband Internet on Infant Health
Draft: Coming soon...
Work in Progress
Early Childhood Education, Childlessness, and Fertility
Full Day Kindergarten Mandates and Child Maltreatment
Paid Sick Leave Mandates and Disability Claiming
with Deborah Gaisie and Regnald Hebert