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Abstract
This study examines the effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on employment and wages in the U.S. meat processing industry from 2005 to 2022. The analysis employs a Difference-in-Differences (DID) approach using state-level panel data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the U.S. Census Bureau. The study focuses on three occupational groups: (1) Butchers and Meat Cutters, (2) Slaughterers and Meat Packers, (3) Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers. The results show that Medicaid expansion positively and significantly affected the employment of Slaughterers and Meat Packers, increasing employment by 667 workers or 33.5%. Also, Medicaid expansion significantly decreased employment of Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers by approximately 441 workers or 15.8%. The study finds mixed effects on wages: Medicaid expansion increased the wages of Slaughterers and Meat Packers but decreased the wages of Butchers and Meat Cutters. An event study framework provides support that these effects persisted over time, highlighting the heterogeneous impacts of Medicaid expansion on different occupational groups within the industry. The findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to support workers affected by changes in the healthcare landscape.