The Long-Run Health and Economic Benefits of Universal Health Insurance in Japan

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13509
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 07050:Public economics and labor economics-related
• Research Institution: Hitotsubashi University
• Principal Investigator: WANG Hongming 一橋大学, 社会科学高等研究院, 特任助教 (20867048)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: universal insurance / long-run impacts / health and employment / education / gender inequality

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research studies the long-run impacts following the onset of universal insurance in Japan in 1961. Focusing on health and economic outcomes, I compare cohorts borne shortly before and after the reform and hence differentially exposed to universal insurance early in life. I find that exposure had significant impacts on health in prime age, reducing chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension for women and cancer-related mortality for men. Moreover, exposure increased the share of women with college education, and the education gain increased women's employment and earnings relative to men as well as women's marital outcome measured by the education attainment of her spouse. As full-time employment increased, the homemaker's role shifted to men within households. Universal insurance thus contributes to an inclusive and equitable society with improved socio-economic status of women.

Free Research Field

Economics

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究は、日本の国民皆保険制度について健康と経済利益に関する長期的な調査として初めてのものとなる。国民皆保険は、医療へのアクセスを確保し、恵まれない人々が直面している健康的/経済的な不平等さを軽減するために、多くの国により議論し続けられている。日本において健康保険制度が国民の健康維持に大きく寄与し、さらには女性の経済的自立を促しているという研究結果は、現在国民皆保険制度の導入を進めている国々にとって有益な指針となる。