The effects of Medicaid expansion on special education enrollment

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of Medicaid eligibility on special education enrollment, exploiting variation in childhood Medicaid eligibility arising from the Medicaid expansions of the 1980s and 1990s. I find that these expansions led to increased special education enrollment rates, particularly among children with 'non-severe' disabilities. Further, I find evidence that the effects are largely concentrated in late elementary school. The results suggest that broadened public healthcare access promotes student welfare through improved evaluation and identification of children with disabilities, primarily among low-income children.