Women Left Behind: Gender Disparities in Utilization of Government Health Insurance in India

Pascaline Dupas and Radhika Jain

No 28972, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We document large gender disparities within a government program that entitles 46 million poor individuals to free hospital care. We show that care is not free in practice and higher costs are associated with larger disparities. Lowering care costs increases female utilization but does not reduce gender disparities because marginal beneficiaries are as likely to be male as inframarginals. Long-term exposure to local female leaders reduces disparities by addressing factors lowering female care. In the presence of gender bias, subsidizing social services may fail to address gender inequalities without actions that specifically target females.

JEL-codes: I12 I13 J16 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gen and nep-ias
Note: CH DEV EH
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Journal Article: Women Left Behind: Gender Disparities in Utilization of Government Health Insurance in India (2024)
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