Environmental, Health and Health¬care Costs

Environment pollution affects the private and public health sector. In this study, the impacts of environmental pollution on healthcare costs and on the out of pocket expenditure and also the impact of pollution on public health have been examined. This study has been applications – development. In this study, to achieve greater efficiency and to increase degrees of freedom and test ability and also allowing possibility the design of complex behavioral patterns, the panel data have been used. Case of study is 22 selected of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries included Iran for the period of years 1990-2010 has been paid. The data of study provided by the statistical data of World Bank. In present study the Eviews software and fixed effect technique for estimate the models is used. Also to choose between panel or Pool, F Limer test and to choose the fixed effects and random effects approaches, Hausman test was used. Environment pollution has significant and negative impact on the public health. Therefor it increases the health care expenditures and out of pocket payments. According to estimates, there are a unit increase in SO2 emission and small and solid particles of air pollution less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) reduce life expectancy respectively0/03 and 0/01 units. The increase of one unit of pollution (CO2), increase out of pocket expenditures 2/0 units. Unemployment and urbanization have a negative impact on public health and have a positive impact on health care costs. Education also comes promote public health. Environmental pollution by reduce public health; lead to waste the cost of the health sector. So that part of the public budget and private spending is allocated to the health sector, deal with the harmful effects of pollution on health. Action plans to reduce air pollution, job creation priority, decentralization policies, improving public education, expands insurance coverage and increase the share of public health budget, are important recommendations in this study.