Inequity of Equalization——Theoretical and empirical analysis on the net benefit of social health insurance in urban China
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| Title | Inequity of Equalization——Theoretical and empirical analysis on the net benefit of social health insurance in urban China
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| Author | Zhou Qin, Tian Sen and Pan Jie |
| Organization | National School of Development, Peking University; Research Institute of Economics and Management, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics; West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University |
| Email | zhouqin.nsd@pku.edu.cn；535527173@126.com；panjie.jay@gmail.com |
| Key Words | Equalized Health Insurance; Medical Care Utilization; Benefit Equality; Health Care Reform |
| Abstract | Benefit equity is one of the principles of the National Medical and Health System Reform Plan. This paper evaluates the benefit equalities of Urban Residents’ Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) which covers more than 250 million urban populations in China. From the theory model, we find that, for the equalized designed social health insurance which is equally financed and reimbursed among the insured, the lower income groups will obtain less reimbursement than higher income groups. In the empirical part, using data from URBMI survey from year 2007 to 2011, we apply the two-part model, and find the similar results with the theoretical prediction of the unequal benefits among income groups. We get conclusion that equalized designed social health insurance would bring benefit equalities for the lower income groups. And the lower income groups are always with poorer health, so such health insurance will also intensify health inequities. Our study provides new evidence on reforming China’s health insurance system policies. |
| Serial Number | WP769 |
| Time | 2014-12-02 |
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