A Study on Effect of Medical Insurance Status on the Aged' Medical Expenses

Based on the 2008 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey(CLHLS),this paper uses nested multivariate tobit regression model to examine effect of medical insurance status on older adults' medical expenses.Results show that the aged' health condition and economic status are significantly associated with their medical expenses;in contrast,medical insurance status has not have significant effect on their medical expenses.The current medical insurance can' t meet the aged' health needs yet and their medical expenses are mainly paid by their children.The aged' medical status brings out typical "shortage" character.So we should try our best to expand medical insurances' coverage and values to improve the aged'ability to pay medical expenses and meet their health needs.