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Comparison of historical medical spending patterns among the BRICS and G7

Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael LU (2016) In Journal of Medical Economics 19(1). p.70-76
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The past few decades have been marked by a bold increase in national health spending across the globe. Rather successful health reforms in leading emerging markets such as BRICS reveal a reshaping of their medical care-related expenditures. There is a scarcity of evidence explaining differences in long-term medical spending patterns between top ranked G7 traditional welfare economies and the BRICS nations.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted on a longitudinal WHO Global Health Expenditure data-set based on the National Health Accounts (NHA) system. Data were presented in a simple descriptive manner, pointing out health expenditure dynamics and differences between the two country groups (BRICS and... (More)

OBJECTIVE: The past few decades have been marked by a bold increase in national health spending across the globe. Rather successful health reforms in leading emerging markets such as BRICS reveal a reshaping of their medical care-related expenditures. There is a scarcity of evidence explaining differences in long-term medical spending patterns between top ranked G7 traditional welfare economies and the BRICS nations.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted on a longitudinal WHO Global Health Expenditure data-set based on the National Health Accounts (NHA) system. Data were presented in a simple descriptive manner, pointing out health expenditure dynamics and differences between the two country groups (BRICS and G7) and individual nations in a 1995-2013 time horizon.

RESULTS: Average total per capita health spending still remains substantially higher among G7 (4747 Purchase Power Parity (PPP) $PPP in 2013) compared to the BRICS (1004 $PPP in 2013) nations. The percentage point share of G7 in global health expenditure (million current PPP international $US) has been falling constantly since 1995 (from 65% in 1995 to 53.2% in 2013), while in BRICS nations it grew (from 10.7% in 1995 to 20.2% in 2013). Chinese national level medical spending exceeded significantly that of all G7 members except the US in terms of current $PPP in 2013.

CONCLUSIONS: Within a limited time horizon of only 19 years it appears that the share of global medical spending by the leading emerging markets has been growing steadily. Simultaneously, the world's richest countries' global share has been falling constantly, although it continues to dominate the landscape. If the contemporary global economic mainstream continues, the BRICS per capita will most likely reach or exceed the OECD average in future decades. Rising out-of-pocket expenses threatening affordability of medical care to poor citizens among the BRICS nations and a too low percentage of GDP in India remain the most notable setbacks of these developments.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Developed Countries/statistics & numerical data, Developing Countries/statistics & numerical data, Global Health, Gross Domestic Product, Health Expenditures/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Retrospective Studies
in
Journal of Medical Economics
volume
19
issue
1
pages
70 - 76
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • pmid:26366470
  • scopus:84954395736
ISSN
1941-837X
DOI
10.3111/13696998.2015.1093493
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
9b818d89-96ec-4d0c-abbc-03735b64895c
date added to LUP
2018-09-01 22:52:41
date last changed
2024-04-15 12:00:27
@misc{9b818d89-96ec-4d0c-abbc-03735b64895c,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVE: The past few decades have been marked by a bold increase in national health spending across the globe. Rather successful health reforms in leading emerging markets such as BRICS reveal a reshaping of their medical care-related expenditures. There is a scarcity of evidence explaining differences in long-term medical spending patterns between top ranked G7 traditional welfare economies and the BRICS nations.</p><p>METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted on a longitudinal WHO Global Health Expenditure data-set based on the National Health Accounts (NHA) system. Data were presented in a simple descriptive manner, pointing out health expenditure dynamics and differences between the two country groups (BRICS and G7) and individual nations in a 1995-2013 time horizon.</p><p>RESULTS: Average total per capita health spending still remains substantially higher among G7 (4747 Purchase Power Parity (PPP) $PPP in 2013) compared to the BRICS (1004 $PPP in 2013) nations. The percentage point share of G7 in global health expenditure (million current PPP international $US) has been falling constantly since 1995 (from 65% in 1995 to 53.2% in 2013), while in BRICS nations it grew (from 10.7% in 1995 to 20.2% in 2013). Chinese national level medical spending exceeded significantly that of all G7 members except the US in terms of current $PPP in 2013.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Within a limited time horizon of only 19 years it appears that the share of global medical spending by the leading emerging markets has been growing steadily. Simultaneously, the world's richest countries' global share has been falling constantly, although it continues to dominate the landscape. If the contemporary global economic mainstream continues, the BRICS per capita will most likely reach or exceed the OECD average in future decades. Rising out-of-pocket expenses threatening affordability of medical care to poor citizens among the BRICS nations and a too low percentage of GDP in India remain the most notable setbacks of these developments.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael}},
  issn         = {{1941-837X}},
  keywords     = {{Developed Countries/statistics & numerical data; Developing Countries/statistics & numerical data; Global Health; Gross Domestic Product; Health Expenditures/statistics & numerical data; Humans; Retrospective Studies}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{70--76}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Journal of Medical Economics}},
  title        = {{Comparison of historical medical spending patterns among the BRICS and G7}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3111/13696998.2015.1093493}},
  doi          = {{10.3111/13696998.2015.1093493}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}