Effect of Health Insurance in India: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Anup Malani, Phoebe Holtzman, Kosuke Imai, Cynthia Kinnan, Morgen Miller, Shailender Swaminathan, Alessandra Voena, Bartosz Woda and Gabriella Conti

No 29576, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We report on a large randomized controlled trial of hospital insurance for above-poverty-line Indian households. Households were assigned to free insurance, sale of insurance, sale plus cash transfer, or control. To estimate spillovers, the fraction of households offered insurance varied across villages. The opportunity to purchase insurance led to 59.91% uptake and access to free insurance to 78.71% uptake. Access increased insurance utilization. Positive spillover effects on utilization suggest learning from peers. Many beneficiaries were unable to use insurance, demonstrating hurdles to expanding access via insurance. Across a range of health measures, we estimate no significant impacts on health.

JEL-codes: I13 O1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp
Note: DEV EH
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Working Paper: Effect of Health Insurance in India: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2021)
Working Paper: Effect of health insurance in India: a randomized controlled trial (2021)
Working Paper: Effect of Health Insurance in India: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2021)
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