Analysis of the Poverty Reduction Effect of Medical Security on Poverty Caused by Illness of the Middle-aged and Elderly Poor People in Rural China

Abstract Background The Chinese government has adopted a series of medical security policies to reduce health poverty. This study analyzes the poverty caused by illness (PCI) of the middle-aged and elderly poor population (MAEPP) in rural China, and simulates the poverty reduction effect (PRE) of medical security on medical expenses. Methods The FGT index is used to measure the PCI of the MAEPP in eastern, central, and western regions of China before and after medical security compensation, and further simulate the PRE of medical security under different compensation ratios. Results The rural MAEPP in the eastern, central and western regions have different levels of PCI. The eastern region is higher than that in the central and western regions; the expenditure-based poverty caused by outpatient expenses is higher than the cost of hospitalization and self-treatment, and the self-treatment burden of the poor is large; The higher the compensation rate of medical security, the better the effect of poverty reduction. Conclusions Medical security has played a positive role in improving poverty. The PRE of medical security policies in different regions are different, and outpatient compensation in medical security has a better effect on poverty reduction.