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Abstract(s)
Equity in health care financing is recognised as a main goal of health policy. It implies that payments should be linked to capacity to pay and that households should be protected against catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). The risk of CHE is inversely related with the share of out-of-pocket payments (OOP) in total health expenditure. In Portugal, in 2010, OOP represented 26 per cent of total health expenditure (one of the highest among OECD countries). This study aims to identify the proportion of households with CHE in Portugal and household factors predicting this outcome. Additionally, progressivity indices are calculated for OOP and private health insurance. Data came from the Portuguese Household Budget Survey 2010/2011. The
prevalence of CHE is 2.11 per cent which is too high for a developed country with a universal National Health Service. Households with at least one old person face 5.3 times more catastrophe and head of household with basic education (compared to secondary/superior) doubles the risk of CHE. Payments are particularly regressive for the case of medicines. The Kakwani index is larger (negative) for the Centre and lower, not significant, for Azores; payments for voluntary health insurance are progressive.
Description
Keywords
Equity in health care financing Out-of-pocket payments Progressivity indice Portugal
Citation
Quintal, Carlota; Lopes, José (2014). Equity in health care financing in Portugal: findings from the Household Budget Survey 2010-2011. In XXXIV Jornadas de Economia de la Salud. Pamplona (Espanha)