The influence of remittances on health expenditure : an empirical evidence from Myanmar

The study explores the influence of remittance on healthcare expenditure focusing on household individuals’ outpatient cost by utilizing secondary data from the 2015 Myanmar Poverty and Living Condition Survey (MPLCS). Our study employs descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Squares regression (OLS) model to analyze the effects of remittance characteristics and household factors on outpatient cost. Findings show that remittance amount and frequency are not significant predictors, but some remittance source countries, Japan and the USA, are associated with higher outpatient costs. Households received remittances from informal transfer methods, such as via hundi, relatives or carriers, correspond to lower spending than those received from formal channels. Additionally, outpatient costs are higher for households using public or private health services compared to charity providers. Long transportation and congestion time at hospitals are also linked to increased healthcare spending. Demographic and socioeconomic variables of households such as age, gender, occupation, and home ownership significantly influence individual’s outpatient spending. In the future, strengthening formal remittance systems and integrating them into health financing strategies could reduce financial barriers for vulnerable households.