Health economics
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Editorial Comparative Study
Jumping on the spot--health reform New Zealand style.
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This paper examines some of the difficulties in using QALY league tables in priority setting. Such tables sometimes are seen as being 'the' way to prioritise in health care and in particular, at present, with respect to priority setting among purchasers in the UK NHS. ⋯ The paper suggests that there is a need to be quite clear what goal QALY league tables serve. The authors argue that the only legitimate (and clearly important) goal of QALY league tables is the maximization of the utility of health gains within a health service budget.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Health care finance and provision in Italy is unusual by international standards: public financing relies heavily on both general taxation and social insurance, and although the vast majority of expenditure is publicly financed, the majority of care is provided by the private sector. The system suffers, however, from a chronic failure to control expenditures and its record on perinatal and infant mortality is poor. Hospitals in Italy have a low bed-occupancy rate by international standards and the per diem system of reimbursing private hospitals encourages unduly long stays. ⋯ Consumption of medicines is extremely high, but because the cost per item is low, expenditure per capita is not unduly high. Despite the emphasis on social insurance, the financing system appears to be progressive. There is evidence of inequalities in health in Italy, and some evidence that health care is not provided equally to those in the same degree of need.
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In recent years, a spate of health care reform proposals have emerged on the American agenda. Although the elements of the reform proposals often vary substantially, most of the initiatives are fuelled by two common concerns: rising health care expenditures and a growing uninsured population. National health spending, for example, commands an increasing share of U. ⋯ To facilitate understanding of the public policy options being considered to address these concerns, the article examines U. S. health care expenditure data and some of the causes of rising health care costs. The article also discusses the demographic characteristics of the uninsured population, the reasons why they lack health coverage, and the health consequences associated with being uninsured.