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Health insurance and savings over the life cycle-a semiparametric smooth coefficient estimation

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  • Shin-Yi Chou

    (Department of Economics, Lehigh University, USA, and National Bureau of Economics Research, USA)

  • Jin-Tan Liu

    (Department of Economics, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, and National Bureau of Economics Research, USA)

  • Cliff J. Huang

    (Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University, USA)

Abstract

Individuals save for future uncertain health care expenses. This is less efficient than pooling health risk through insurance. The provision of comprehensive health insurance may raise welfare by providing the missing market to smooth out consumption through the life cycle. We employ a semiparametric smooth coefficient model to examine the effects of the introduction of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan in 1995 on savings and consumption over the life cycle. The idea is to estimate the coefficients of health insurance which vary with age. Our results suggest that younger households are more sensitive to the risk reductions, and that they demonstrate a greater response in the reduction of their precautionary saving. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Shin-Yi Chou & Jin-Tan Liu & Cliff J. Huang, 2004. "Health insurance and savings over the life cycle-a semiparametric smooth coefficient estimation," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(3), pages 295-322.
    • Handle: RePEc:jae:japmet:v:19:y:2004:i:3:p:295-322
    DOI: 10.1002/jae.735
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    2. Sheu, Ji-Tian & Lu, Jui-fen Rachel, 2014. "The spillover effect of National Health Insurance on household consumption patterns: Evidence from a natural experiment in Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 41-49.
    3. Gallagher, Emily A. & Gopalan, Radhakrishnan & Grinstein-Weiss, Michal & Sabat, Jorge, 2020. "Medicaid and household savings behavior: New evidence from tax refunds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(2), pages 523-546.
    4. Liu, Weiwei, 2015. "Gasoline taxes or efficiency standards? A heterogeneous household demand analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 54-64.
    5. Chung-Ming Kuan & Chien-Liang Chen, 2013. "Effects of National Health Insurance on precautionary saving: new evidence from Taiwan," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 921-943, April.
    6. FUKAI Taiyo & ICHIMURA Hidehiko & KANAZAWA Kyogo, 2018. "Quantifying Health Shocks over the Life Cycle," Discussion papers 18014, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    7. Jingping Gu & Paula Hernandez-Verme, 2009. "A Semiparametric Time Trend Varying Coefficients Model: With An Application to Evaluate Credit Rationing in U.S. Credit Market," Department of Economics and Finance Working Papers EM200902, Universidad de Guanajuato, Department of Economics and Finance.
    8. James Sefton & Justin Van De Ven & Martin Weale, 2008. "Means Testing Retirement Benefits: fostering equity or discouraging savings?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(528), pages 556-590, April.
    9. Tran, Chung & Woodland, Alan, 2014. "Trade-offs in means tested pension design," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 72-93.
    10. Joan Costa‐Font & Edward C. Norton & Luigi Siciliani & Joan Costa‐Font & Cristina Vilaplana‐Prieto, 2017. "Does the Expansion of Public Long‐Term Care Funding Affect Saving Behaviour?," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 38, pages 417-443, September.
    11. Dandan Liu & Rui Li & Zijun Wang, 2011. "Testing for structural breaks in panel varying coefficient models: with an application to OECD health expenditure," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 95-118, February.
    12. Delgado, Miguel A. & Arteaga-Molina, Luis A., 2021. "Testing constancy in varying coefficient models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 222(1), pages 625-644.
    13. Hsu, Minchung, 2008. "Health Insurance, the Social Welfare System and Household Saving," MPRA Paper 21281, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2010.
    14. repec:eme:caerpp:v:4:y:2012:i:2:p:176-187 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Ha van Dung, 2014. "Short-term precaution, insurance and saving mechanisms in rural Vietnam," Working Papers CIE 82, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    16. Shuheng Yu & Xinxin Ma & Peng Zhan, 2024. "Effects of the Resident Basic Medical Insurance Reform on Household Consumption in China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 32(1), pages 96-129, January.
    17. Thomas Gries & Ha van Dung, 2014. "Household Savings and Productive Capital Formation in Rural Vietnam: Insurance vs. Social Network," Working Papers CIE 81, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    18. Cliff J. Huang & Tsu-Tan Fu & Hung-Pin Lai & Yung-Lieh Yang, 2017. "Semiparametric smooth coefficient quantile estimation of the production profile," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 373-392, February.
    19. Noghanibehambari, Hamid, 2022. "Intergenerational health effects of Medicaid," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).

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