Health Insurances and the Health-Related Work Capacity of Retirement-Aged Workers: A Comparative Investigation.

Abstract

This study is to investigate the health-related work capacity of retirement-aged workers under the beneficiary status of different health insurance schemes in China. Using the data from CHARLS program, we investigate the health-related work capacity of retirement-aged workers in China (more than 60/55 years-old for men/women respectively). Multivariate regressions and robustness checks (Heckman two-stage procedures, chronological design, etc) are conducted. (1) Late-life career participation could reduce the risk of declining work capacity due to health problems; (2) different social health insurances affect health-related work capacity among retirement-aged workers differently; (3) social health insurances influence the role of late-life career participation in reducing the risk of health-related work capacity, with different schemes displaying different effects (mitigate or strengthen). Systematic inequity in benefit across health insurances may result in contrasting health outcomes of retirement-aged workers.