THE DETERMINANTS OF CHINESE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH EXPENDITURES: EVIDENCE FROM 2002–2006 DATA
利用2002-2006年省级面板数据，发现人均预算收入、中央转移支付、少儿人口比例、城镇职工医保覆盖率和城镇化率是影响政府卫生支出的关键因素，且卫生支出属于必需品而非奢侈品。
There is great divergence in provincial government health expenditures in China. Real per capita provincial government health expenditures (GHE) over the period 2002-2006 are examined using panel regression analysis. Key determinants of real per capita provincial GHE are real provincial per capita general budget revenue, real provincial per capita transfers from the central government, the proportion of provincial population under age 15, urban employee basic health insurance coverage, and proportion of urban population. Roughly equal and relatively low elasticities of budget revenue and transfers imply that the GHE is a necessity rather than a luxury good, and transfers have yet to become efficient instruments for the fair allocation of health resources by policy makers. Moreover, severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak has increased the GHE, but we find no statistical evidence that provincial GHE have fluctuated according to the public health status.