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The health implications of social pensions: Evidence from China's new rural pension scheme

Author

Listed:
  • Lingguo Cheng

    (Institute for Advanced Research, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, China)

  • Hong Liu

    (China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China)

  • Ye Zhang

    (School of Business, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China)

  • Zhong Zhao

    (School of Labor and Human Resources, Renmin University of China, China)

Abstract

This paper estimates the causal effect of income on health outcomes of the elderly and in vestigates underlying mechanisms by exploiting an income change induced by the launch of China's New Rural Pension scheme (NRPS). Using this policy experiment, we address the endogeneity of pension income by applying a fixed-effect model with instrumental variable correction. The results reveal that pension enrollment and income from the NRPs both have had a significant beneficial impact on objective measures of physical health and cognitive function of the rural elderly. Pension recipients respond to the newly acquired pension income in multiple ways: improved nutrition intake, better accessibility to health care, increased informal care, increased leisure activities, and better self-perceived relative economic situation. These in turn act as channels from pension income to health outcomes of the Chinese rural elderly.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingguo Cheng & Hong Liu & Ye Zhang & Zhong Zhao, 2025. "The health implications of social pensions: Evidence from China's new rural pension scheme," CEMA Working Papers 782, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cuf:wpaper:782
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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