The impact of minimum wages on medical expenditures and resource misallocation: evidence from China’s healthcare system
We find a dual impact of minimum wage increases on the hierarchical healthcare system: higher minimum wages strengthen the gatekeeping role of primary care but simultaneously intensify inpatient demand at higher-level hospitals and in resource-concentrated regions, thereby exacerbating resource misallocation and undermining efficiency.
Authors
- Tong An (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5647-4884)
- Yang Chang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6865-3903)
- Chenbing Sha
Institutions
- Tianjin Normal University (CN)
- Nankai University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Public Health
- Published
- 2025-11-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1646631
- Primary Topic
- Healthcare Systems and Reforms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China