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The development of voluntary private health Insurance in the Nordic countries

Alexandersen, Nina ; Anell, Anders LU ; Kaarboe, Oddvar ; Lehto, Juhani S ; Tynkkynen, Liina-Kaisa and Vrangbaek, Karsten (2016) In Nordic Journal of Health Economics 4(1). p.68-83
Abstract
The Nordic countries represent an institutional setting with tax-based health care financing and universal access to health care services. Very few health care services are excluded from what are offered within the publically financed health care system. User fees are often non-existing or low and capped. Nevertheless, the markets for voluntary private health insurance (VPHI) have been rapidly expanding. In this paper we describe the development of the market for VPHI in the Nordic countries. We outline similarities and differences and provide discussion of the rationale for the existence of different types of VPHI. Data is collected on the population covered by VPHI, type and scope of coverage, suppliers of VPHI and their relations with... (More)
The Nordic countries represent an institutional setting with tax-based health care financing and universal access to health care services. Very few health care services are excluded from what are offered within the publically financed health care system. User fees are often non-existing or low and capped. Nevertheless, the markets for voluntary private health insurance (VPHI) have been rapidly expanding. In this paper we describe the development of the market for VPHI in the Nordic countries. We outline similarities and differences and provide discussion of the rationale for the existence of different types of VPHI. Data is collected on the population covered by VPHI, type and scope of coverage, suppliers of VPHI and their relations with health providers. It seems that the main roles of VPHI are to cover out-of-pocket payments for services that are only partly financed by the public health care system (complementary), and to provide preferential access to treatments that are also available free of charge within the public health care system, but often with some waiting time (duplicate). (Less)
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; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
voluntary private health insurances, complementary private health insurance, duplicate private health insurance, tax-policies
in
Nordic Journal of Health Economics
volume
4
issue
1
pages
68 - 83
publisher
University of Oslo
ISSN
1892-9729
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e7ee71d7-6fe8-4fd7-a16a-0a7bd326c905
date added to LUP
2016-06-28 13:38:10
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:24:34
@article{e7ee71d7-6fe8-4fd7-a16a-0a7bd326c905,
  abstract     = {{The Nordic countries represent an institutional setting with tax-based health care financing and universal access to health care services. Very few health care services are excluded from what are offered within the publically financed health care system. User fees are often non-existing or low and capped. Nevertheless, the markets for voluntary private health insurance (VPHI) have been rapidly expanding. In this paper we describe the development of the market for VPHI in the Nordic countries. We outline similarities and differences and provide discussion of the rationale for the existence of different types of VPHI. Data is collected on the population covered by VPHI, type and scope of coverage, suppliers of VPHI and their relations with health providers. It seems that the main roles of VPHI are to cover out-of-pocket payments for services that are only partly financed by the public health care system (complementary), and to provide preferential access to treatments that are also available free of charge within the public health care system, but often with some waiting time (duplicate).}},
  author       = {{Alexandersen, Nina and Anell, Anders and Kaarboe, Oddvar and Lehto, Juhani S and Tynkkynen, Liina-Kaisa and Vrangbaek, Karsten}},
  issn         = {{1892-9729}},
  keywords     = {{voluntary private health insurances; complementary private health insurance; duplicate private health insurance; tax-policies}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{68--83}},
  publisher    = {{University of Oslo}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Health Economics}},
  title        = {{The development of voluntary private health Insurance in the Nordic countries}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}