Platform workers in China face significant hurdles in maintaining continuous participation in basic medical insurance, despite a high overall coverage rate. A recent study sheds light on the distinct patterns and factors influencing their insurance continuity.
Survey Reveals Low Continuity in Insurance Participation
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey involving 641 platform workers in China, utilizing structured questionnaires and latent class analysis to uncover participation trends. The findings indicate a mere 38.7% of participants consistently maintained their basic medical insurance, with a staggering 85.6% experiencing interruptions in coverage.
Factors Influencing Insurance Persistence Identified
The study categorized the platform workers into three distinct groups based on their insurance continuity patterns. The first group, comprising 13.4%, experienced full interruptions despite having high incomes and family migration backgrounds. The second group, representing 30.9%, faced frequent interruptions and had mid-level incomes with stable residences. The largest group, 50.7%, maintained high continuity in their insurance but were low-income individuals with non-contracted mobility.
Key factors influencing these patterns include urban and rural residency status, with urban hukou holders showing higher chances of continuous participation. Conversely, higher education levels, better self-rated health, female gender, supplementary insurance coverage, and connections between platform and insurance enrollments increased the likelihood of insurance interruptions.
Inferences:
- High interruption rates correlate with better education and health among platform workers.
- Urban residency and hukou status play crucial roles in securing continuous insurance coverage.
- Supplementary insurance and platform-insurance links inadvertently contribute to coverage instability.
The study underscores the fragmented nature of basic medical insurance participation among platform workers, highlighting systemic barriers that prevent sustained enrollment. The diverse continuity patterns reflect the complex interplay of socioeconomic and occupational factors affecting this workforce segment.
Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive policy interventions aimed at enhancing the inclusiveness of medical insurance schemes. By targeting structural inequities and tailoring solutions to the unique needs of platform workers, policymakers can improve continuous insurance participation rates. Implementing more flexible and stable enrollment options will be essential in ensuring that platform workers receive the necessary health coverage, thereby promoting their overall well-being and economic security.
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