Effect of Drive-Through Delivery Laws on Postpartum Length of Stay and Hospital Charges

Filed under: Fertility, Families, and Children

Liu, Zhimei; Dow, William H.; & Norton, Edward C. (2004). Effect of Drive-Through Delivery Laws on Postpartum Length of Stay and Hospital Charges. Journal of Health Economics, 23(1), 129-55.

Reference Type:
Journal Article

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Author(s):
Liu, Zhimei
Dow, William H.
Norton, Edward C.

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Year Published:
2004

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Journal Name:
Journal of Health Economics

Volume Number:
23

Issue Number:
1

Start Page Number:
129-55

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DOI:
10.1016/j.jhealeco.2003.07.005

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Reference ID:
4231

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Abstract:

Postpartum hospital length of stay fell rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s, perhaps due to increased managed care penetration. In response, 32 states enacted early postpartum discharge laws between 1995 and 1997, and a federal law took effect in 1998. We analyze how these laws changed length of stay and hospital charges, using a national discharge database. Difference-in-differences models show that the laws increased both length of stay and hospital charges, but the magnitude of this effect is much smaller than has been estimated in previously reported case studies. Furthermore, we find that effects vary by law details, that ERISA diluted the law effects, and that law effects partially spilled over to unregulated Medicaid births.

Keyword(s):
Fertility, Families, and Children

URL:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2003.07.005

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Citation:

Liu, Zhimei; Dow, William H.; & Norton, Edward C. (2004). Effect of Drive-Through Delivery Laws on Postpartum Length of Stay and Hospital Charges. Journal of Health Economics, 23(1), 129-55.