Health Status and Health Insurance in Same-Sex Married Couples

Edward Berchick , U.S. Census Bureau

Family diversity has been increasing in the United States over the last few decades, especially as same-sex marriage and same-sex parenthood become more common. Although recent research has extended knowledge about their health status and their health insurance coverage dynamics, many aspects are still relatively unknown. This paper will examine the health status and health insurance status of same-sex married couples and children of same-sex married couples. By using a new source of data, the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC) Research Files, this paper will seek to extend the current literature by examining subannual health insurance dynamics that might be obscured through an annual measure and a direct measure of same-sex couples’ marital status.

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 Presented in Session 5. Health & Mortality 1