AB024. Out-of-pocket payment and health insurance utilization by migration status in China

Abstract

Background: In China, migrants and non-migrants, categorized by the possession of local household registration (i.e., hukou), obtain different health insurance benefits and procure diversified support from the healthcare system. Previous studies identified that migrants received less reimbursement than local residents, and were not well protected by health insurance, but limited studies attempt to examine the association between migration and out-of-pocket payment of medical expense (Zhang, Nikoloski & Mossialos, 2017; Qin, Pan & Liu, 2014; Chen, Zhang, Renzaho, Zhou, Zhang & Ling, 2017; Zhao et al., 2014). The current study seeks to fill this gap. Diversified health insurance programs may influence the effect of hukou-based migration on out-of-pocket, which will also be examined.