Self-Rated Health Status Based on the Type of Health Insurance: ASocioeconomic Perspective

摘要

To investigate the effects of public and private health insurance on self-ratedhealth (SRH) status within the National Health Insurance (NHI) system based onsocioeconomic status in South Korea. The data were obtained from 10 867respondents of the Korea Health Panel (2008-2011). We used hierarchical panellogistic regression models to assess the SRH status. We also added theinteraction terms of socioeconomic status and type of health insurance asmoderators. Medical aid (MA) recipients were 2.10 times more likely to have alow SRH status than those who were covered only by the NHI, even though thehealthcare utilization was higher. When the interaction terms were included,those not covered by the NHI and had completed elementary school or less were16.59 times more likely to have a low SRH status than those covered by the NHIand had earned a college degree or higher. Expanding healthcare coverage toreduce the burden of non-payment and unmet use to improve the health status ofMA beneficiaries should be considered. Particularly, the vulnerability ofless-educated groups should be focused on.