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Healthcare policies over the last 20 years: Reforms and counter-reforms

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  • Toth, Federico

Abstract

The case argued in this article is that the last two decades have been characterised by distinct waves of healthcare reforms. The first, in the early 1990s, aimed to introduce more patients' choice and greater competition between the components of the healthcare system. The second, from 1995 to 2000, had the opposite aim of introducing greater integration and regulation. From 2000 onwards, the policy issue more in vogue has been the strengthening of patients' rights. Looking for the motives behind these reform strategies, this article aims to show how the ideological leaning of the governments in power affects the content of reform initiatives. The analysis presents evidence drawn from six OECD countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and UK.

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  • Toth, Federico, 2010. "Healthcare policies over the last 20 years: Reforms and counter-reforms," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 82-89, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:95:y:2010:i:1:p:82-89
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    1. Westra, Daan & Angeli, Federica & Carree, Martin & Ruwaard, Dirk, 2017. "Understanding competition between healthcare providers: Introducing an intermediary inter-organizational perspective," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 149-157.
    2. Hammond, Jonathan & Lorne, Colin & Coleman, Anna & Allen, Pauline & Mays, Nicholas & Dam, Rinita & Mason, Thomas & Checkland, Kath, 2017. "The spatial politics of place and health policy: Exploring Sustainability and Transformation Plans in the English NHS," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 217-226.
    3. Katz, Michael L., 2013. "Provider competition and healthcare quality: More bang for the buck?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 612-625.
    4. Martinussen, Pål E. & Magnussen, Jon, 2019. "Is having private health insurance associated with less support for public healthcare? Evidence from the Norwegian NHS," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(7), pages 675-680.
    5. Bertin, Giovanni & Pantalone, Marta, 2019. "Professional identity in community care: The case of specialist physicians in outpatient services in Italy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 21-28.
    6. Grignon Michel, 2012. "Roadblocks to Reform: Beyond the Usual Suspects," Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis Working Paper Series 2012-01, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis (CHEPA), McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

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