Inpatient Health Care Expenditure: Some New Evidences from Rural Kerala‪.‬

Abstract This paper examines inpatient (IP) health care expenditure across socio-economic groups (SEGs), gender and provider types based on a cross sectional household survey in rural Kerala, South India. The average out-of pocket IP expenditure is estimated at Rs.4999 (about US $111) and it consistently increases as we move up the SEG. Private sector is the significant provider of medical services and the private health expenditure is around four times the public health expenditure. Health care expenditure is significantly male biased and it is Rs.5791 (about US $129) as against Rs.4180 (about US $ 93) for females. Health equity and quality health care services pinpoint standard provisions for gender specific concerns in health policy.