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Health care reform in Belgium

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  • Erik Schokkaert
  • Carine Van de Voorde

Abstract

Curbing the growth of public sector health expenditures has been the proclaimed government objective in Belgium since the 1980s. However, the respect for freedom of choice for patients and for therapeutic freedom for providers has blocked the introduction of microeconomic incentives and quality control. Therefore – with some exceptions, particularly in the hospital sector – policy has consisted mainly of tariff and supply restrictions and increases in co‐payments. These measures have not been successful in curbing the growth of expenditures. Moreover, there remains a large variation in medical practices. While the structure of health financing is relatively progressive from an international perspective, socioeconomic and regional inequalities in health persist. The most important challenge is the restructuring of the basic decision‐making processes; i.e. a simplification of the bureaucratic procedures and a re‐examination of the role of regional authorities and sickness funds. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Erik Schokkaert & Carine Van de Voorde, 2005. "Health care reform in Belgium," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(S1), pages 25-39, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:14:y:2005:i:s1:p:s25-s39
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.1027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Erik Schokkaert & Tom Van Ourti & Diana De Graeve & Ann Lecluyse & Carine Van de Voorde, 2010. "Supplemental health insurance and equality of access in Belgium," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(4), pages 377-395, April.
    2. Holst, Jens, 2010. "Patient cost sharing: Reforms without evidence. Theoretical considerations and empirical findings from industrialized countries," Discussion Papers, Research Group Public Health SP I 2010-303, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    3. Paula González, 2010. "Gatekeeping versus direct‐access when patient information matters," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(6), pages 730-754, June.
    4. GONZALEZ, Paula, 2003. "The "gatekeeping" role of general practitioners. Does patients' information matter ?," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2003089, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    5. Garattini, Livio & Cornago, Dante & De Compadri, Paola, 2007. "Pricing and reimbursement of in-patent drugs in seven European countries: A comparative analysis," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(3), pages 330-339, August.
    6. Léonard, Christian & Stordeur, Sabine & Roberfroid, Dominique, 2009. "Association between physician density and health care consumption: A systematic review of the evidence," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(2), pages 121-134, July.
    7. Frank Eijkenaar & René C. J. A. Vliet, 2018. "Improving risk equalization using information on physiotherapy diagnoses," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 19(2), pages 203-211, March.
    8. Willemé, Peter, 2010. "The Long-term Care System for the Elderly in Belgium," MPRA Paper 107011, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Joan Costa-Font & Valentina Zigante, 2016. "The choice agenda in European health systems: the role of middle-class demands," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(6), pages 409-416, September.
    10. Eijkenaar, Frank & van Vliet, René C.J.A., 2017. "Improving risk equalization for individuals with persistently high costs: Experiences from the Netherlands," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(11), pages 1169-1176.
    11. Perelman, Julian & Closon, Marie-Christine, 2007. "Hospital response to prospective financing of in-patient days: The Belgian case," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(2-3), pages 200-209, December.

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