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(O)lika villkor i vården - jämlikhet, patientavgifter och regionala skillnader i svensk sjukvård

Nielsen, Alice Hedda LU (2016) NEKH01 20161
Department of Economics
Abstract
This thesis considers equity in the Swedish health care sector by examining the theoretical framework behind demand for health and health care, the purpose of co-payments in outpatient care as well as the implications for health care utilization, and in turn health outcomes. The Swedish Health Care Act frames the fundamental objectives of health care as good health and health care on equal terms for the entire population; thus over both socioeconomic and geographical groups. Regional differences in co-payments are therefore prima facie in conflict with these overarching goals, but there is no (current) system for collecting full data in order to understand the effects of co-payments on individuals’ full health care expenditure and health... (More)
This thesis considers equity in the Swedish health care sector by examining the theoretical framework behind demand for health and health care, the purpose of co-payments in outpatient care as well as the implications for health care utilization, and in turn health outcomes. The Swedish Health Care Act frames the fundamental objectives of health care as good health and health care on equal terms for the entire population; thus over both socioeconomic and geographical groups. Regional differences in co-payments are therefore prima facie in conflict with these overarching goals, but there is no (current) system for collecting full data in order to understand the effects of co-payments on individuals’ full health care expenditure and health outcomes. Hence, the purpose of this thesis is to analyze the theoretical possibility that co-payments can guide health care utilization towards less inequity through its political functions; reducing over-consumption, steering consumption to the correct instance, increasing cost-awareness as well as contributing to cost-financing. By combining demand theory and previous research this thesis shows that there is a potential regional inequity as the levels of co-payments can neither be proven to affect health care demand such that health care utilization and health outcomes become equitable, nor shown to have effects that contribute to reducing inequity. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nielsen, Alice Hedda LU
supervisor
organization
course
NEKH01 20161
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Health economics, health care, equity, co-payments, Sweden
language
Swedish
id
8871298
date added to LUP
2016-04-28 15:17:15
date last changed
2016-04-28 15:17:15
@misc{8871298,
  abstract     = {{This thesis considers equity in the Swedish health care sector by examining the theoretical framework behind demand for health and health care, the purpose of co-payments in outpatient care as well as the implications for health care utilization, and in turn health outcomes. The Swedish Health Care Act frames the fundamental objectives of health care as good health and health care on equal terms for the entire population; thus over both socioeconomic and geographical groups. Regional differences in co-payments are therefore prima facie in conflict with these overarching goals, but there is no (current) system for collecting full data in order to understand the effects of co-payments on individuals’ full health care expenditure and health outcomes. Hence, the purpose of this thesis is to analyze the theoretical possibility that co-payments can guide health care utilization towards less inequity through its political functions; reducing over-consumption, steering consumption to the correct instance, increasing cost-awareness as well as contributing to cost-financing. By combining demand theory and previous research this thesis shows that there is a potential regional inequity as the levels of co-payments can neither be proven to affect health care demand such that health care utilization and health outcomes become equitable, nor shown to have effects that contribute to reducing inequity.}},
  author       = {{Nielsen, Alice Hedda}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{(O)lika villkor i vården - jämlikhet, patientavgifter och regionala skillnader i svensk sjukvård}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}