Working papers

Abstract: China achieved universal coverage of public health insurance in 2011. Despite this success, China’s public health insurance system remains segmented, offering varying degrees of benefits and financial protection. Using an ordered probit model and three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), I empirically examine the relationship between the generosity of health insurance benefits and self-rated health outcomes. I find that insurance status is not only associated with respondents’ current self-rated health outcomes but also affects transitions in health outcomes over time. Having the more generous employee insurance decreases the probability of reporting poor health, increases the probability of remaining in good health, and enhances the likelihood of transitioning to better health. I also observe gender disparities and regional effects. The insurance effect is larger for females, and individuals living in wealthier provinces are more likely to remain in good health and less likely to transition to worse health.

Abstract: Using three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), I empirically examine the relationship between health insurance plans and individuals’ work-to-retirement transitions. I find that the more generous employee health insurance plan increases the likelihood of transitioning from work to retirement. Moreover, the employee pension plan has an additional effect. The impact of the health insurance plan is larger for females with an employee pension plan and for males without an employee pension plan. Besides the effect of the health insurance plan's generosity and the additional effect of the employee pension plan, reporting poor health also increases the likelihood of a work-to-retirement transition.

Abstract: Using three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), I empirically examine the relationship between health insurance plans and individuals’ work-to-retirement transitions. I find that the more generous employee health insurance plan increases the likelihood of transitioning from work to retirement. Moreover, the employee pension plan has an additional effect. The impact of the health insurance plan is larger for females with an employee pension plan and for males without an employee pension plan. In addition to the effects of the health insurance plan's generosity and the employee pension plan, reporting poor health also increases the likelihood of a work-to-retirement transition.