In 2000, government deregulation along with the introduction of the long-term insurance scheme for the first time allowed for-profit providers of at-home care for the elderly to compete directly with nonprofit operators. According to the contract failure hypothesis, we would expect consumers to...

In this study, we explore the causal relationship between length of stay (LOS) in hospitals and the treatment outcome for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients in Japan, where the average LOS (ALOS) is the longest among OECD countries. Using chart-based data, we address the endogeneity...

Following the introduction of the long-term care insurance scheme and deregulation of the market for at-home care services, Japan experienced a substantial increase in expenditure on care for the elderly. Using household-level survey data, we empirically examine whether the increase in care...