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Can Wealth Buy Health? A Model of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Investments in Health

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  • Wallenius, Johanna
  • Margaris, Panagiotis

Abstract

In this paper we develop and estimate a life cycle model that features pecuniary and non-pecuniary investments in health, along with a cognitive ability gradient associated with said investments, in order to rationalize the socioeconomic gradients in health and life expectancy in the United States. Agents accumulate health capital, which affects the level of utility, labor productivity, the distribution of medical spending shocks and life expectancy. We find that the cognitive ability gradient to health investments and the differences in lifetime income account for the lion’s share of the observed life expectancy gap. Providing universal health insurance coverage has heterogeneous effects, depending on the progressivity of the financing mechanism, and at best results in a modest decrease in the life expectancy gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Wallenius, Johanna & Margaris, Panagiotis, 2020. "Can Wealth Buy Health? A Model of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Investments in Health," CEPR Discussion Papers 14796, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14796
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jeremy Greenwood & Nezih Guner & Karen A. Kopecky, 2022. "The Downward Spiral," NBER Working Papers 29764, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Ozkan, Serdar, 2025. "Income differences and health disparities: Roles of preventive vs. curative medicine," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    3. Richard Foltyn & Jonna Olsson, 2024. "Subjective life expectancies, time preference heterogeneity, and wealth inequality," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 15(3), pages 699-736, July.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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