Monday, March 23, 2009

[EQ] Universal Health Care 101: Lessons for the Eastern Caribbean and Beyond

Universal Health Care 101: Lessons for the Eastern Caribbean and Beyond

 

IMF International Monetary Fund
Working Paper No. 09/61:  March 2009
Tsounta, Evridiki

 

Available online as PDF [37p.] at: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2009/wp0961.pdf

 

“……Despite the increasing interest in universal health care, little is known about the optimal way to finance, design, and implement it. This paper attempts to fill this gap by providing some general policy recommendations on this important issue. While most of the paper addresses the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) countries, its policy implications are applicable to any country.

 

The paper finds that the best financing option is country-specific depending on a country's economic, cultural, institutional, demographic and epidemiological characteristics, as well as political economy considerations. However, taxation should be the primary financing source. It also concludes that an appropriate and realistic benefit package would need to be designed to ensure the system's financial viability.

 

Regarding the optimal way to implement universal health care, certain preconditions are needed, including sound public administration, a small informal economy, and a transparent health financing system that builds social consensus …”

 

Contents

I. Introduction

II. What are the Available Financing Options for Universal Health Care?

III. The Challenges of Population Aging and the Epidemiological Transition

IV. What Would Be the Optimal Tax: General Taxation Versus Mandatory Payroll/ Social Security Contributions?

V. Providing Universal Coverage: A Single Provider or Numerous Providers?

VI. Designing the Benefit Package

VII. Preconditions for Successfully Implementing Health Care Reforms

VIII. Conclusions

References

 

 

*      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website

Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.  

No comments: