被落下的女性：印度政府医疗保险利用中的性别差距

中文摘要

我们发现，在一项使4600万贫困人口有权获得免费住院医疗的政府项目中，存在巨大的性别差距。我们表明，医疗服务在实践中并非免费，且费用越高，性别差距越大。降低医疗费用会提高女性的利用率，但并未缩小性别差距，因为边际受益者为男性的可能性与边际内受益者相同。长期接触地方女性领导者，通过消除抑制女性就医的因素，缩小了这一差距。在存在性别偏见的情况下，若不采取专门针对女性的行动，补贴社会服务可能无法解决性别不平等问题。（JEL H51、I12、I13、I14、J16、O15）

Abstract

We document large gender disparities within a government program that entitles 46 million poor individuals to free hospital care. We show that care is not free in practice and higher costs are associated with larger disparities. Lowering care costs increases female utilization but does not reduce gender disparities because marginal beneficiaries are as likely to be male as inframarginals. Long-term exposure to local female leaders reduces disparities by addressing factors lowering female care. In the presence of gender bias, subsidizing social services may fail to address gender inequalities without actions that specifically target females. (JEL H51, I12, I13, I14, J16, O15)