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The social cost of hospital waiting lists and the case for copayment: Evidence from Galicia

The USV Annals of Economics and Public Administration

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Title The social cost of hospital waiting lists and the case for copayment: Evidence from Galicia
 
Creator Diego Varela; University of A Coruña, Faculty of Economics and Business, Campus de Elviña
Anca Timofte; Universidad de A Coruña, Faculty of Economics and Business, Campus de Elviña
 
Description In this paper we try to quantify the social cost of hospital waiting lists in Galicia, on the basis of the model by Cullis and Jones (1986). From official data of waiting lists for outpatient appointments published by the Galician Health Service (Sergas) and a survey of specialist doctors in the province of A Coruña, we estimate that the cost of waiting lists is 70 million euros annually. We argue that this estimate, which does not include surgical waiting lists, tends to be conservative. Finally, as a possible measure to reduce the costs of waiting, we propose the introduction of a copayment, which would bring about a direct efficiency gain from the reduction in waiting costs and an indirect “efficiency dividend” from the revenue of the copayment, which may reduce the need for market distorting taxes.
 
Publisher Editura Universitatii Ştefan cel Mare din Suceava
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2011-09-09
 
Type —
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Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.seap.usv.ro/annals/ojs/index.php/annals/article/view/364
 
Source The USV Annals of Economics and Public Administration; Vol 11, No 1: June 2011; 18-26
The USV Annals of Economics and Public Administration; Vol 11, No 1: June 2011; 18-26
 
Language en
 
Relation http://www.seap.usv.ro/annals/ojs/index.php/annals/article/download/364/969