Applying but not Receiving: Longer Working Lives and Institutionalized Health Investment

Johannes Geyer, Peter Haan, Mia Teschner-Hofmann and Felix Weinhardt

No 110, Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers from Berlin School of Economics

Abstract: Rising life expectancy and demographic change have increased the share of older workers, making their health and productivity central to aging societies. We study whether longer working lives translate into investments in work-related health before retirement. Exploiting a pension reform in Germany in a Regression Discontinuity Design, we show that women facing longer careers are more likely to apply for work-related rehabilitation, particularly those in poorer health or with weaker labor market attachment. Despite higher application and approval rates, this demand does not translate into higher rehabilitation completion. Together with intermediate outcomes, our findings are most consistent with capacity constraints in program delivery.

Keywords: Rehabilitation; Aging Societies; Health Investments; Pension Reform (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H55 I12 J26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2026-09-22
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bdp:dpaper:0110

DOI: 10.48462/opus4-6416

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