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WHO BUYS HEALTH INSURANCE? A SURVEY OF TWO LARGE ORGANISATIONS
Author(s) -
Burrows Colin,
Brown Kaye,
Gruskin Andrew
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
australian journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1839-4655
pISSN - 0157-6321
DOI - 10.1002/j.1839-4655.1993.tb00920.x
Subject(s) - marital status , project commissioning , group insurance , business , publishing , actuarial science , health insurance , income protection insurance , health care , cover (algebra) , medical insurance , key person insurance , self insurance , general insurance , insurance policy , demographic economics , economics , economic growth , environmental health , medicine , population , mechanical engineering , engineering , political science , law
Despite the importance of private insurance in the financing of Australia's health care system, there have been few studies of health insurance choice. A survey was carried out of employees of two large organisations to serve as a reference group for middle‐income people in secure employment. Insurance was associated with income, age, marital status and history of medical costs; but not dependents or hospital expenses. Main determinants of level of cover were income and medical costs. In making decisions, information search was low and decisions seem to be made on the basis of simple risk aversion, influenced by insurers' advertising.