Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/196728 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 12230
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We use administrative data from South Australia to study the impact of an unconditional cash transfer on child health. We use the unanticipated introduction of the Australian Baby Bonus (ABB), a one-off payment of AU$3,000 (US$2,400) made to families with a newborn, to isolate its causal effect. The ABB reduces the number of potentially preventable hospitalizations and emergency department presentations for respiratory problems in the first year of life. Findings from survey data suggest that households spent the windfall income on electricity and private health insurance. There is no robust evidence that the ABB increased accidents or non-essential good consumption.
Subjects: 
unconditional cash transfers
baby bonus
child respiratory health
health care utilization
regression discontinuity design
natural experiment
linked administrative data
JEL: 
I14
I38
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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