Van De Ven W, (1996)

‘Market-Orientated Health Care Reforms: Trends and Future Options’

Social Science and Medicine 43(5): 655-666

• A trend to near universal mandatory health insurance.
• Some signs of convergence on the public contract model, i.e. public financing of health care combined with a system of contracts between providers and third-party purchasers of care.
• An increase in the consumers’ freedom to choose a provider.
• A trend towards competition among providers of care in many countries.
• The introduction of market-orientated elements (incentives, regulated competition) in health care has the advantage that it enables the breaking of the vicious circle of ever-increasing health care expenditures.
• The existence of a strong coalition in the health care sector with no interest in cost containment. The author argues that nterest in making a trade-off between costs and quality can be given by market elements.

Top of Page