Dependent Coverage and Use of Preventive Care under the Affordable Care Act

Abstract

To the Editor: Since it officially went into effect on September 23, 2010, dependent-coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which allows young adults to be covered under a parent's health insurance plan until they turn 26 years of age, has substantially improved the insurance coverage of persons between the ages of 19 and 25 years.1–4 However, it is unknown whether dependent-coverage expansion has improved the use of recommended preventive services in this age group. Using data from household interviews obtained in the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey in the United States, we examined the use of . . .