This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

Improving Cost-Effectiveness in the Health Care Sector in Iceland

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Hannes Suppanz
Abstract

Health outcomes and the quality of health care in Iceland are very good by international comparison, while income-related health inequality appears to be smaller than in most other countries. However, the health-care system is costly and, according to OECD estimates, public expenditure on health and long-term care could reach 15% of GDP by 2050 if no restraining measures are taken. This highlights the importance of raising cost-effectiveness and spending efficiency more generally. To this end, it would seem advisable to remove impediments to private provision and open up the health sector to competition. At the same time, the introduction of cost-sharing should be considered where it does not exist (as in hospitals), although concerns about equity need to be taken into account. This would relieve the burden on public finances, as would the introduction of spending ceilings, cost-efficiency analysis and activity-based funding arrangements. The high cost of pharmaceuticals should be reduced by promoting competition and the use of inexpensive generic drugs.

Améliorer le rapport coût-efficacité dans le secteur de la santé en Islande
En termes de comparaison internationale, les résultats et la qualité du secteur de la santé sont très satisfaisants en Islande, tandis que les inégalités en matière de santé liées au revenu semblent moindres que dans la plupart des autres pays. Toutefois, le système des soins de santé est onéreux et il ressort des estimations de l’OCDE que les dépenses publiques consacrées à la santé et aux soins de longue durée pourraient atteindre 15 % du PIB d’ici à 2050 en l’absence de mesures d’économie. D’où l’importance d’améliorer le rapport coût-efficacité et, plus généralement, l’efficience des dépenses. Dans ce but, il apparaît souhaitable de lever les obstacles à la prestation des services par le secteur privé et à l’ouverture du secteur de la santé à la concurrence. Parallèlement, il faudrait envisager la mise en place d’un système de partage des coûts là où il n’y en a pas (comme dans les hôpitaux), tout en prenant en compte de considérations d’équité. Ces mesures, de même que l’instauration de plafonds de dépenses, d’un système d’analyse de coût-efficacité et de mécanismes de financement en fonction des activités, permettraient d’atténuer la charge qui pèse sur les finances publiques. Il faudrait également diminuer le coût élevé des produits pharmaceutiques en favorisant la concurrence et le recours à des médicaments génériques peu coûteux.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/235327525311
File Format: text/html
File Function:
Download Restriction: no

Publisher Info
Paper provided by OECD, Economics Department in its series OECD Economics Department Working Papers with number 645.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Length:
Date of creation: 15 Oct 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:645-en

Contact details of provider:
Postal: 2 rue Andre Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16
Email:
Web page: http://www.oecd.org
More information through EDIRC

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: ().

Related research
Keywords: health care; health status; Iceland; public spending; spending efficiency; dépenses publiques; efficacité de la dépense; état de santé; Islande; système médical;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data
H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
H73 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Interjurisdictional Differentials and Their Effects
I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Production
O57 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? To receive notification of recent additions to the database, subscribe to the free NEP reports.

This page was last updated on 2009-12-2.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.