Time-Varying Income Elasticities of Healthcare Expenditure for the OECD and Eurozone

Income elasticity dynamics of health expenditure is considered for the OECD and Eurozone over the period 1995-2014. Motivated by some modelling challenges, this paper studies a class of non-linear cointegration panel data models, controlling for cross-section dependence and certain endogeneity. Using the corresponding methods, our empirical analyses show a slight increase in the income elasticity of the healthcare expenditure over the years, but still with values under 1, meaning that healthcare is not a luxury good in the OECD and Eurozone.