Health insurance and savings over the life cycle—a semiparametric smooth coefficient estimation
使用半参数平滑系数模型，研究1995年台湾全民健康保险的引入如何影响不同年龄人群的储蓄和消费，发现年轻家庭对风险降低更敏感，预防性储蓄减少更多。
Abstract Individuals save for future uncertain health care expenses. This is less efficient than pooling health risk through insurance. The provision of comprehensive health insurance may raise welfare by providing the missing market to smooth out consumption through the life cycle. We employ a semiparametric smooth coefficient model to examine the effects of the introduction of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan in 1995 on savings and consumption over the life cycle. The idea is to estimate the coefficients of health insurance which vary with age. Our results suggest that younger households are more sensitive to the risk reductions, and that they demonstrate a greater response in the reduction of their precautionary saving. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.