Abstract
The increasing public concern about health impacts from air pollution has been paralleled by a growth in commercial health insurance (CHI) demand in China. This study explores the relationship between air pollution and CHI demand using Chinese provincial panel data, applying linear and nonlinear models. It finds a remarkable positive impact of air pollution on CHI demand, where an increase in lnPM2.5 per capita is linked to a proportional rise in per capita CHI premium income. This effect varies regionally, being notable in the eastern and central regions while negligible in the western region. In addition, the study identifies a nonlinear threshold effect of air pollution on CHI demand, characterized by increasing marginal efficiency and a double threshold pattern as per capita medical expenditures change.
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This work is partially sponsored by the Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project of Guangdong Province (GD23XYJ17).
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These studies did not involve human participants and were reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of the Guangdong University of Finance and Economics.
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Wang, X., Tan, H. & Liu, J. The impact of air pollution on commercial health insurance demand amidst China's green transition. Econ Change Restruct 57, 39 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10644-024-09623-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10644-024-09623-y