| Title | Health and Wealth in a Life-Cycle Model |
| Publication Type | Report |
| Year of Publication | 2010 |
| Authors | Scholz, JKarl, Seshadri, A |
| Institution | The University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center |
| Keywords | Consumption and Savings, Event History/Life Cycle, Health Conditions and Status, Healthcare, Medicare/Medicaid/Health Insurance, Net Worth and Assets |
| Abstract | This paper presents a preliminary model of health investments over the life cycle. Health affects both longevity and provides flow utility. We analyze the interplay between consumption choices and investments in health by solving each household s dynamic optimization problem to obtain predictions on health investments and consumption choices over the lifecycle. Our preliminary model does a good job of matching the distribution of medical expenses across households in the sample. We illustrate the scope of future model applications by examining the effects of a stylized Medicare program on patterns of wealth and mortality. |
| Endnote Keywords | life Cycle/consumption/health investments/Medical Expenditures/wealth/mortality |
| Endnote ID | 24380 |
| Citation Key | 5807 |
