The effect of cross-border healthcare on quality, public health insurance, and income redistribution

Abstract

This study analyzes the effect of cross-border healthcare on the quality of healthcare as well as public health insurance and income redistribution schemes. Although the globalization of healthcare has been increasing, it is limited to a handful of wealthy households in the countries pursuing universal health coverage. This is because, when patients receive medical treatment abroad, they do not use (or face difficulty to use) public insurance. Thus, receiving medical treatment abroad is fairly expensive as compared with receiving treatment in the home country.