Date Created

8-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sociology, Sociology Student Work

First Advisor

Kyle Anne Nelson

First Committee Member

Mel Moore

Abstract

Medicaid expansion is a contentious issue in U. S. political debates, especially regarding its impact on public health outcomes. The Republican Party often shows hesitation to support government funding initiatives, citing concerns about creating dependency on entitlement programs like Medicaid. As a result, state legislatures have significant authority to shape their Medicaid programs, including setting eligibility requirements and defining the scope of benefits and services. In this study, I examine disparities in mental health indicators between economically disadvantaged states that expanded Medicaid and those that did not expand Medicaid. The dependent variables include medical costs, measured by how often individuals encounter financial barriers to accessing medical care, and poor mental health, measured by the number of days a person reports experiencing poor mental health in a month. Data for this research are obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, covering 2014 and 2022, with sample sizes of 456,702 and 436,065 individuals, respectively. According to data collected through 2022, I find that in states that expanded Medicaid, there is a small advantage for respondents in terms of reduced medical costs compared to the residents in non-expansion states. Linear regression analysis demonstrates a positive association in two models when comparing expansion states to non-expansion states. This study offers valuable insights into Medicaid policy and mental health discussions, highlighting that fewer individuals in Medicaid expansion states encounter cost barriers when accessing mental health services. However, the findings regarding whether individuals in expansion states experience fewer days of poor mental health per month compared to those in non-expansion states were mixed. Future research should measure more direct mental health outcomes, such as diagnosis and treatment; future studies should also concentrate on factors such as race, gender, and educational status to better address health care barriers for low-income Americans.

Abstract Format

html

Keywords

Medicaid; Medicaid Expansion; Mental Health

Subject Categories

Medicine and Health | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sociology

Language

English

Extent

72 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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