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A Reminder to Pay Less for Healthcare: take-up of Increased Reimbursement in a large-scale randomized field experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Raf Van Gastel
  • Tim Goedemé
  • Julie Janssens
  • Eva Lefevere
  • Rik Lemkens

Abstract

We evaluate how a simple letter and flyer sent to a low-income group stimulates the participation in a beneficial health insurance plan. Using a large-scale randomized field experiment we study the effect of contacting potential beneficiaries on the take-up of the Increased Reimbursement (IR) for healthcare in Belgium. We find a fourfold increase in the take-up of IR, with large differences across geographic areas. The group that remains without IR is, on average, less vulnerable than the group that takes up IR in response to the letter. As such, the mailing arguably succeeds in reaching out to the target population.

Suggested Citation

  • Raf Van Gastel & Tim Goedemé & Julie Janssens & Eva Lefevere & Rik Lemkens, 2017. "A Reminder to Pay Less for Healthcare: take-up of Increased Reimbursement in a large-scale randomized field experiment," Working Papers 1712, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    • Handle: RePEc:hdl:wpaper:1712
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    Cited by:

    1. Antinyan, Armenak & Bertoni, Marco & Corazzini, Luca, 2021. "Cervical cancer screening invitations in low and middle income countries: Evidence from Armenia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    2. Antinyan, A. & Bertoni, M. & Corazzini, L., 2020. "Cancer screening invitations in the developing world," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 20/13, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    accessible health care; field experiment; Increased Reimbursement; Nudging; RCT;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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