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Supplementary private health insurance and health care utilization of people aged 50+

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  • Anikó Bíró

Abstract

Does supplementary private health insurance (PHI) coverage influence health care utilization in countries where the coverage ratio with public health insurance is high? I estimate this effect using the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Handling the potential endogeneity of supplementary insurance coverage and the large fraction of zero observations in the utilization models influences the empirical results. I show that the effect of PHI coverage on inpatient and outpatient care utilization is not trivial even in countries with generous public health funding. The main finding is that supplementary PHI coverage increases dental care utilization, but decreases the visits to general practitioners. Private insurance is estimated to have little and insignificant influence on the utilization of inpatient care and outpatient specialist care. The magnitude of the effect of supplementary PHI on health care utilization varies with the characteristics of the health care systems. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

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  • Anikó Bíró, 2014. "Supplementary private health insurance and health care utilization of people aged 50+," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 501-524, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:46:y:2014:i:2:p:501-524
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-013-0689-2
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    1. Spitzer, Sonja & Shaikh, Mujaheed, 2022. "Health misperception and healthcare utilisation among older Europeans," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Private health insurance; Health care utilization; SHARE; C25; C35; G22; I11;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities
    • C35 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets

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