The Effect of Private Health Insurance on Hospitalization

Abstract

This study explores the effect of private health insurance on hospitalization using the 4th Korean Welfare Panel Study(KOWEPS). I control the endogeneity of medical use and health insurance with latent variables which affect the decision on medical use and health insurance. The result show that individuals with multiple private health insurance are more likely to be hospitalization while the effect of the unobsevables on the hospitalization are significantly negative. It may imply that private health insurer solve the adverse selection by screening the high risk group.