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Journal Article

Risk Protection, Service Use, and Health Outcomes under Colombia’s Health Insurance Program for the Poor

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 5(4): 61-91, 2013 (with Diana Pinto and Marcos Vera-Hernández)

Unexpected medical care spending imposes considerable financial risk on developing country households. Based on managed care models of health insurance in wealthy countries, Colombia's Régimen Subsidiado is a publicly financed insurance program targeted to the poor, aiming both to provide risk protection and to promote allocative efficiency in the use of medical care. Using a "fuzzy" regression discontinuity design, we find that the program has shielded the poor from some financial risk while increasing the use of traditionally underutilized preventive services—with measurable health gains.

Appendices (PDF, 3.7MB)

Author(s)
Grant Miller
Diana Pinto
Marcos Vera-Hernández
Journal Name
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Publication Date
October, 2013
DOI
10.1257/app.5.4.61