Healthcare spending will continue to rise, not only because of inflationary drivers but as a result of growing recognition by policymakers, worldwide, that improved health is inextricably linked to greater national wealth. Keeping the universal healthcare model throughout the European Union (EU) will require rationing of services and consolidation of healthcare facilities, as public resources f...

Based on the premise that current trends in healthcare spending are unsustainable, the Australian Government has proposed in the recent Budget the introduction of a compulsory $7 co-payment to visit a General Practitioner (GP), alongside increased medication copayments. This paper is based on a recent submission to the Senate Inquiry into the impact of out-of-pocket costs in Australia. It is ba...

Objectives: To examine whether elimination of fatal diseases will increase healthcare costs. Design: Mortality data from vital statistics combined with healthcare spending in a cause elimination life table. Costs were allocated to specific diseases through the various healthcare registers. Setting and subjects: The population of the Netherlands, 1988. Main outcome measures: Healthcare costs of ...

OBJECTIVES To examine whether elimination of fatal diseases will increase healthcare costs. DESIGN Mortality data from vital statistics combined with healthcare spending in a cause elimination life table. Costs were allocated to specific diseases through the various healthcare registers. SETTING AND SUBJECTS The population of the Netherlands, 1988. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Healthcare costs o...