The Effects of Patient Cost-Sharing on Adolescents' Healthcare Utilization and Financial Risk Protection: Evidence from South Korea

Arbeitspapier

We examine the effects of patient cost-sharing on adolescents' healthcare utilization and out-of-pocket medical expenditures by exploiting the healthcare reform in South Korea that lowered the coinsurance rate for inpatient care from 20% to 5% for children under 16. We apply a difference-in-regression-discontinuities design using administrative claims data. We find that the reform increased adolescents' inpatient care utilization. It also reduced out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures. This effect was larger among low-income households, facilitating income redistribution. However, the lack of evidence on health improvements and household consumption spending responses suggests that generous patient cost-sharing for adolescent healthcare may cause efficiency losses.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 16897

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health Behavior ; Health Insurance, Public and Private ; Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
• Subject: patient cost-sharing ; healthcare utilization ; out-of-pocket expenditure ; income redistribution ; consumption spending ; difference in regression discontinuities design

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Kim, Seonghoon ; Koh, Kanghyock ; Lyou, Wonjun
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2024

Further information

• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET