IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/aphecp/v18y2020i6d10.1007_s40258-019-00506-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analyzing the Financial Sustainability of User Fee Removal Policies: A Rapid First Assessment Methodology with a Practical Application for Burkina Faso

Author

Listed:
  • Jacky Mathonnat

    (University Clermont Auvergne and FERDI (Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International))

  • Martine Audibert

    (University Clermont Auvergne, CERDI (Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches sur le Développement International))

  • Salam Belem

    (Ministry of Health)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to briefly present a methodological framework that does not require cumbersome investigations for a first assessment of the financial sustainability of policies aiming to remove or reduce healthcare user fees (the so-called free healthcare policy [FHCP]). This paper is organized in two main sections. The first analyzes the various possibilities available to finance an FHCP. Using several scenarios, it includes a special focus devoted to the calculus of what to consider when assessing the sustainability of expanding fiscal space for financing the FHCP. The second section relies on the current FHCP being implemented in Burkina Faso to illustrate a selection of specific issues raised in the methodological framework. The results suggest that sustainable FHCP financing is not outside the range of the government but does represent a significant challenge, as it will require, both currently and in the future, complex and delicate budget trade-offs at the highest governmental levels, regardless of other policy options to be considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacky Mathonnat & Martine Audibert & Salam Belem, 2020. "Analyzing the Financial Sustainability of User Fee Removal Policies: A Rapid First Assessment Methodology with a Practical Application for Burkina Faso," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 767-780, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:aphecp:v:18:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1007_s40258-019-00506-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s40258-019-00506-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40258-019-00506-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s40258-019-00506-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xu, Ke & Evans, David B. & Kadama, Patrick & Nabyonga, Juliet & Ogwal, Peter Ogwang & Nabukhonzo, Pamela & Aguilar, Ana Mylena, 2006. "Understanding the impact of eliminating user fees: Utilization and catastrophic health expenditures in Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(4), pages 866-876, February.
    2. Mr. Peter S. Heller, 2005. "Understanding Fiscal Space," IMF Policy Discussion Papers 2005/004, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Chris Sampson’s journal round-up for 28th December 2020
      by Chris Sampson in The Academic Health Economists' Blog on 2020-12-28 12:00:00

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Phuong Hung Vu & Ardeshir Sepehri & Linh Thi Thuy Tran, 2023. "Trends in out-of-pocket expenditure on facility-based delivery and financial protection of health insurance: findings from Vietnam’s Household Living Standard Survey 2006–2018," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 237-254, June.
    2. Pankaj Bahuguna & Emiko Masaki & Gursimer Jeet & Shankar Prinja, 2023. "Financing Comprehensive Immunization Services in Lao PDR: A Fiscal Space Analysis From a Public Policy Perspective," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 131-140, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. World Bank, 2009. "Liberia - 2008 Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review," World Bank Publications - Reports 3082, The World Bank Group.
    2. Reinhard Mechler & Stefan Hochrainer & Asbjørn Aaheim & Håkon Salen & Anita Wreford, 2010. "Modelling economic impacts and adaptation to extreme events: Insights from European case studies," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 737-762, October.
    3. Ahmed Shoukry Rashad, 2014. "The Catastrophic Economic Consequences of Illness and their Effect on Poverty Estimates in Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine," Working Papers 842, Economic Research Forum, revised Oct 2014.
    4. Sudheesh Ramapurath Chemmencheri, 2016. "Social Protection as a Human Right in South Asia," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 10(2), pages 236-252, August.
    5. Kim, Chang-O & Joung, Won Oh, 2014. "Effect of the Crisis Assistance Program on poverty transition for seriously ill people in South Korea: A quasi-experimental study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 28-35.
    6. Patrick Sakdapolrak & Thomas Seyler & Christina Ergler, 2013. "Burden of direct and indirect costs of illness: Empirical findings from slum settlements in Chennai, South India," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 13(2), pages 135-151, April.
    7. Cummins, Matthew, 2019. "Fiscal Space for Children and Human Capital in Eastern and Southern Africa: Options and Strategic Entry Points to Address Investment Gaps in 16 Countries," MPRA Paper 96410, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Kessy, Flora Lucas & Ngowi, Daniel, 2013. "Creating Fiscal Space for Social Sectors Development in Tanzania," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 1(1), January.
    9. Strand, Jon, 2009. ""Revenue management"effects related to financial flows generated by climate policy," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5053, The World Bank.
    10. Steven F Koch & Naomi Setshegetso, 2020. "Catastrophic health expenditures arising from out-of-pocket payments: Evidence from South African income and expenditure surveys," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, August.
    11. Navneet Manchanda & Dil Bahadur Rahut, 2021. "Inpatient Healthcare Financing Strategies: Evidence from India," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(6), pages 1729-1767, December.
    12. Md Mizanur Rahman & Stuart Gilmour & Eiko Saito & Papia Sultana & Kenji Shibuya, 2013. "Health-Related Financial Catastrophe, Inequality and Chronic Illness in Bangladesh," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(2), pages 1-9, February.
    13. Danny Cassimon & Bjorn Van Campenhout, 2007. "Aid Effectiveness, Debt Relief and Public Finance Response: Evidence from a Panel of HIPC Countries," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 143(4), pages 742-763, December.
    14. Peter S. Heller & Menachem Katz & Xavier Debrun & Theo Thomas & Taline Koranchelian & Isabell Adenauer, 2006. "Making Fiscal Space Happen!: Managing Fiscal Policy in a World of Scaled-Up Aid," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2006-125, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Jordan Schwartz & Luis Andres & Georgeta Dragoiu, 2009. "Crisis in Latin America," Journal of Infrastructure Development, India Development Foundation, vol. 1(2), pages 111-131, December.
    16. Darkwah, Frank, 2022. "Does free health insurance improve health care use and labour market outcomes of the elderly in Ghana?," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    17. Johansson, Pernilla, 2010. "Debt Relief, Investment and Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(9), pages 1204-1216, September.
    18. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon & Jean-François Brun, 2020. "Tax reform and fiscal space in developing countries," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(2), pages 237-265, June.
    19. Estache, Antonio & Iimi, Atsushi, 2011. "(Un)bundling infrastructure procurement: Evidence from water supply and sewage projects," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 104-114, June.
    20. Mrs. Teresa Ter-Minassian & Richard Hughes & Alejandro Hajdenberg, 2008. "Creating Sustainable Fiscal Space for Infrastructure: The Case of Tanzania," IMF Working Papers 2008/256, International Monetary Fund.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:aphecp:v:18:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1007_s40258-019-00506-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.