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The Progressivity Of Health Care Services In Ghana

Author

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  • Mawuli Gaddah
  • Alistair Munro

    (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies)

Abstract

This paper examines the incidence of public health subsidies in Ghana using the Ghana Living Standards Survey. Using a combination of (uniform) benefit incidence analysis and a discrete choice model, our results give a clear evidence of progressivity with consistent ordering: postnatal and prenatal services are the most progressive, followed by clinic visits, and then hospital visits. Children health care services are more progressive than adults'. Own price and income elasticities are higher for public health care than private health care and for adults than children. Poorer households are substantially more price responsive than wealthy ones, implying that fee increases for public health care will impact negatively on equity in health care. Simulations based on an estimated nested logit model show the importance of opportunity costs in healthcare decisions and suggest that reforms that focus only on out-pocket expenses will have a limited ability to extend public healthcare to all potential users.

Suggested Citation

  • Mawuli Gaddah & Alistair Munro, 2011. "The Progressivity Of Health Care Services In Ghana," GRIPS Discussion Papers 11-14, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:ngi:dpaper:11-14
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    Cited by:

    1. Bagnoli, Lisa, 2019. "Does health insurance improve health for all? Heterogeneous effects on children in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Lisa Bagnoli, 2017. "Does National Health Insurance Improve Children's Health ?National and Regional Evidence from Ghana," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2017-03, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Mr. Olumuyiwa S Adedeji & Huancheng Du & Mr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari, 2013. "Inclusive Growth: An Application of the Social Opportunity Function to Selected African Countries," IMF Working Papers 2013/139, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Eric Y. Tenkorang, 2016. "Type of Health Facility and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services Among Ghanaian Women," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(5), pages 631-650, October.

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