Title | The Economic Consequences of Hospital Admissions |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2016 |
Authors | Dobkin, C, Finkelstein, A, Kluender, R, Notowidigdo, MJ |
Journal | American Economic Review |
Volume | 108 |
Issue | 2 |
Pagination | 308-352 |
Date Published | 08/2016 |
ISSN Number | 0002-8282 |
Keywords | Financial burden, Hospitalization, Medical Expenses |
Abstract | We use an event study approach to examine the economic consequences of hospital admissions for adults in two datasets: survey data from the Health and Retirement Study, and hospitalization data linked to credit reports. For non-elderly adults with health insurance, hospital admissions increase out-of-pocket medical spending, unpaid medical bills, and bankruptcy, and reduce earnings, income, access to credit, and consumer borrowing. The earnings decline is substantial compared to the out-of-pocket spending increase, and is minimally insured prior to age-eligibility for Social Security Retirement Income. Relative to the insured non-elderly, the uninsured non-elderly experience much larger increases in unpaid medical bills and bankruptcy rates following a hospital admission. Hospital admissions trigger fewer than 5 percent of all bankruptcies in our sample. |
URL | https://www.nber.org/papers/w22288 |
DOI | 10.1257/aer.20161038 |
Short Title | American Economic Review |
Citation Key | 9487 |
PubMed ID | 29445246 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC5809140 |
Grant List | P01 AG005842 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States R01 AG032449 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |