--------------- 1. What Macroeconomists Should Know about Health Care Policy ---------------
by William C. Hsiao and Peter S. Heller. International Monetary Fund, 2007.
This primer is a step toward bridging the divide between macroeconomic policy and health policy. It aims to acquaint macroeconomists with some fundamental facts about the economics of health care and the major health issues confronting countries. It provides a perspective for examining a country?s health care system by suggesting some broad parameters that macroeconomists can use to evaluate a country?s health policy and the performance of its health system.
Full text available at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/phcf/publications/HsiaoHeller2007.pdf
--------------- 2. Social Health Insurance for Developing Nations ---------------
by William C. Hsiao and R. Paul Shaw The World Bank, 2007
The volume includes a review of design and implementation issues that challenge SHI in low- and middle-income countries and case studies on Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines, and Thailand that shed light on the trials and tribulations of implementing SHI in contexts far less hospitable than those in rich countries. Accordingly, the case studies provide a road map of design options, aims and intentions, midcourse revisions, and successes and pitfalls. The volume concludes by presenting lessons learned and policy implications.
Perhaps the most important message of this volume is that SHI should not be seen as a magic bullet that will solve all the woes of health care fi nancing and provision in developing countries. It clearly has the potential to make a positive contribution, but success comes slowly, because of the drawbacks and risks involved. Our hope is that by contributing to awareness of these issues, this volume will help policy makers in developing nations chose the right approaches, and then, once chosen, to implement them correctly.
Full text available at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/phcf/publications/Hsiao.Shaw.2007.SHI.developing.countries.pdf --------------- More publications/papers on public health are available at the link below:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/phcf/publications/
