中文摘要
在医疗补助和补充社会保险的家计调查中，住房大多不计入受审查的资产。针对这一特殊待遇的改革已有讨论，但人们对其成本、收益及再分配影响仍知之甚少。我估计了一个将此项豁免纳入考虑的单身退休人员生命周期模型。模型表明，自住房豁免能够解释医疗补助领取模式的重要特征，而且该豁免受到高度重视。模型还表明，遗产追偿可以弥补该豁免的大部分成本，同时其负面福利后果可能有限。最后，模型预测，取消自住房豁免或落实遗产追偿计划将减少向收入较低的退休人员的再分配。（JEL D15, G51, H51, I13, I18, I38, J26）
Abstract
Housing is mostly exempted from Medicaid and Supplemental Social Insurance means tests. Reforms of this special treatment have been debated, but little is known about its costs, benefits, and redistributive implications. I estimate a life cycle model of single retirees accounting for this exemption. It shows that the homestead exemption explains important patterns of Medicaid recipiency and that it is highly valued. It also shows that estate recovery could cover most of its costs with possibly limited negative welfare consequences. Finally, the model predicts that removing the homestead exemption or enforcing estate recovery programs would reduce redistribution toward lower-income retirees. (JEL D15, G51, H51, I13, I18, I38, J26)