Reproducibility package for Who Benefits From Public Spending On Healthcare? Longitudinal Evidence From Ethiopia

This study examines inequalities in benefits from government spending on healthcare among different groups in Ethiopia. It applies a benefit incidence analysis by integrating public health expenditure data and longitudinal household survey data implemented in 2019 and 2022. The study reveals important differences in the distribution of subsidies and healthcare utilization by facility type, income levels, and between rural and urban populations. All hospital utilization and subsidies are pro-rich, while health center and health post outpatient utilization and subsidies are pro-poor. In 2022, subsidies to health center inpatient admissions were pro-poor among urban residents and pro-rich among rural residents. Rural residents faced regressive out-of-pocket expenditures for inpatient admissions at health centers in 2019. The longitudinal dataset enabled an assessment of changes over time, revealing that subsidies for outpatient services at primary facilities became increasingly pro-poor. Shifts in utilization patterns over time suggest potential for reducing disparities through targeted efforts aimed at improving community access to hospital care.