The Great Equalizer: Health Care Access and Infant Mortality in Thailand
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This paper analyzes Thailand's 2001 healthcare reform, "30 Baht." The program increased funding available to hospitals to care for the poor and reduced copays to 30 Baht (~$0.75). Our estimates suggest the supply-side funding of the program increased healthcare utilization, especially among the poor. Moreover, we find significant impacts on infant mortality. Prior to 30 Baht, poorer provinces had significantly higher infant mortality rates than richer provinces. After 30 Baht, this correlation evaporates to zero. The results suggest that increased access to healthcare among the poor can significantly reduce their infant mortality rates.
Date issued
2014-01Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of EconomicsJournal
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Publisher
American Economic Association
Citation
Gruber, Jonathan, Nathaniel Hendren, and Robert M. Townsend. “ The Great Equalizer: Health Care Access and Infant Mortality in Thailand.” American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 6, no. 1 (January 2014): 91–107.
Version: Final published version
ISSN
1945-7782
1945-7790