Racial Inequalities in Health and Social Policy: Examining the Relationship Between Medicaid Spending and Self-assessed Health Among Poor Single Mothers

Greater average state Medicaid spending is associated with better self-rated health for poor single mothers. This relationship is stronger for poor, Black single mothers than poor, White or Latina single mothers. Spending variation by state generates substantial spatial inequalities in health. States with larger Black populations spend less, creating a mismatch between effectiveness and implementation.