New Findings from RAND Describe Advances in Health Insurance (Did the dependent coverage expansion increase risky substance use among young adults?)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Researchers detail new data in Health Insurance. According to news reporting originating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "The dependent coverage expansion (DCE) enacted through the Affordable Care Act increased health insurance coverage among young adults. Increasing insurance coverage in this age group has the potential for unintended consequences on risky substance use."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from RAND, "Repeated cross-sectional surveys were used to compare change in substance use during the period the DCE was implemented in the 19-25 year old target age group (Pre-DCE n = 15,772, Post-DCE n = 22,719) with contemporaneous change in a slightly older age group that was not targeted by the policy (Pre-DCE = 19,851, Post-DCE n = 28,157). Outcomes include 11 measures of alcohol, illicit drug and cigarette use. Statistical controls were included for demographic and socioeconomic factors and for early initiation of substance use to adjust for historical trends in developmental trajectories. Risky substance use decreased in young adults relative to the older age group over the period that the DCE was implemented. However, statistical adjustment for initiation of substance use prior to age 18, which is prior to exposure to the DCE, accounted for the differences between the age groups. In adjusted models, associations between the DCE and substance use outcomes range from 0.96 to 1.08 with p-values ranging from 0.330 to 0.963. Historical trends in initiation of substance use prior to age 18, not the DCE, account for change in risky substance use among 19-25 year olds relative to 26-34 year olds."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "The evidence does not support the suggestion that health insurance coverage would increase risky substance use among young adults."

For more information on this research see: Did the dependent coverage expansion increase risky substance use among young adults? Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2017;178():556-561. Drug and Alcohol Dependence can be contacted at: Elsevier Ireland Ltd, Elsevier House, Brookvale Plaza, East Park Shannon, Co, Clare, 00000, Ireland. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Drug and Alcohol Dependence - www.journals.elsevier.com/drug-and-alcohol-dependence/)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting J. Breslau, RAND Corp, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States. Additional authors for this research include H. Yu, B. Han, R.L.A. Pacula, R.M. Burns and B.D. Stein.

Keywords for this news article include: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America, Health Insurance, Drugs and Therapies, RAND.

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