We use high-quality longitudinal data to analyze the existence of a health selectivity
effect among Nicaraguans migrating to Costa Rica and to the U.S, using
as comparison group the population of stayers. Our theoretical framework with
two alternative destinations predicts that the healthiest will choose migration to
the U.S. The results are even stronger for chronic diseases. Within-household fixed
effect models find that healthier individuals have odds of migration that are 25%
higher than those with respiratory, chronic or eruptive diseases. These findings
suggest that the substantial public opinion opposition to a nation’s health care
coverage for immigrants might be unfounded.