This study contributes to recent work on the relationship between minimum wages and health by examining potential underlying mechanisms. Specifically, the roles of health insurance, health care access and utilization are explored. By analyzing Current Population Survey data for the years 1989–2009 and by estimating DD models, I find that higher minimum wages increase health insurance coverage, in particular individually purchased insurance, among low-educated individuals. By estimating data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for the same period, I furthermore provide evidence for improvements in health care access/affordability and increased health care utilization following minimum wage increases.

中文翻译：

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最低工资与健康之间的途径：健康保险、医疗保健获取和医疗保健利用的作用

通过检查潜在的潜在机制，这项研究有助于最近关于最低工资与健康之间关系的工作。具体而言，探索了健康保险、医疗保健获取和利用的作用。通过分析 1989 年至 2009 年的当前人口调查数据并通过估计 DD 模型，我发现较高的最低工资增加了健康保险的覆盖面，尤其是在低教育人群中个人购买的保险。通过估计来自行为风险因素监测系统的同期数据，我进一步提供了证据，证明在提高最低工资后医疗保健的可及性/负担能力有所改善，以及医疗保健利用率的提高。