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The Effect of Copayments on Children's and Adolescents' Demand for Medical Care

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  • Paul, Alexander
  • Nilsson, Anton

Abstract

We exploit a policy change in Sweden to estimate the effect of copayments on the demand for children's and adolescents' usage of medical care. To this end, we use population-wide registry data including detailed characteristics of individuals and their medical visits. We examine whether the response to prices varies by socioeconomic background or health status. When visits to doctors become free of charge, we find that individuals see a doctor more often. This effect does not represent a substitution away from inpatient care. The size of the response differs by health and income but not by educational attainment

Suggested Citation

  • Paul, Alexander & Nilsson, Anton, 2014. "The Effect of Copayments on Children's and Adolescents' Demand for Medical Care," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100403, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc14:100403
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tertilt Michèle & Berg Gerard J. van den, 2015. "The Association Between Own Unemployment and Violence Victimization Among Female Youths," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 235(4-5), pages 499-516, August.
    2. Tzu-Ting Yang & Hsing-Wen Han & Hsien-Ming Lien, 2014. "Patient Cost-Sharing and Healthcare Utilization in Early Childhood: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design," Working Papers 14C003, Canadian Centre for Health Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

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