A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014
Background: Out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure directly impacts on poverty and household welfare, especially when there is a decline in healthcare financing. This study was aimed to describe the temporal pattern of OOP expenditures related to Iranian healthcare services during 1995-2014. Methods: Fo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Iranian Journal of Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/14919 |
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| author | Masoud BEHZADIFAR Tina BEYRANVAND Mehdi JAFARI Meysam BEHZADIFAR Masood TAHERI MIRGHAED Mariano MARTINI Nicola Luigi BRAGAZZI |
| author_facet | Masoud BEHZADIFAR Tina BEYRANVAND Mehdi JAFARI Meysam BEHZADIFAR Masood TAHERI MIRGHAED Mariano MARTINI Nicola Luigi BRAGAZZI |
| author_sort | Masoud BEHZADIFAR |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure directly impacts on poverty and household welfare, especially when there is a decline in healthcare financing. This study was aimed to describe the temporal pattern of OOP expenditures related to Iranian healthcare services during 1995-2014.
Methods: For describing the trend of OOP spending in Iran, the database of the World Bank was mined for the period under study. Further, the trend analysis has been complemented by an exhaustive and comprehensive review of the extant literature.
Results: From 1995 to 2014, out-of-pocket decreased from 53.59% to 47.8% of the total health expenditure, probably because of the different health reforms implemented throughout the years. However, out-of-pocket expenditure in Iran remains higher than the world average (roughly 3 times higher)
Conclusion: It is an onus of the Iranian government to make serious attempts in order to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, as well as to protect particularly poor and vulnerable subjects against catastrophic health expenditure. In order to ensure an equitable and affordable access to the healthcare system, decision- and policy-makers in Iran should implement a review of health care costs, insurance tariffs, and healthcare services packages covered by insurance organizations as well as introduce a progressive tax-based financing scheme as soon as possible. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:35:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f35f0b351fa46788ebb31bffa8c16c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2251-6085 2251-6093 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:35:18Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Tehran University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f35f0b351fa46788ebb31bffa8c16c22022-12-21T20:25:37ZengTehran University of Medical SciencesIranian Journal of Public Health2251-60852251-60932018-10-014710A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014Masoud BEHZADIFAR0Tina BEYRANVAND1Mehdi JAFARI2Meysam BEHZADIFAR3Masood TAHERI MIRGHAED4Mariano MARTINI5Nicola Luigi BRAGAZZI6Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDept. of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDept. of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, IranDept. of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDept. of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Section of History of Medicine and Ethics, University of Genoa, Genoa, ItalyDept. of Health Sciences (DISSAL), School of Public Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, ItalyBackground: Out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure directly impacts on poverty and household welfare, especially when there is a decline in healthcare financing. This study was aimed to describe the temporal pattern of OOP expenditures related to Iranian healthcare services during 1995-2014. Methods: For describing the trend of OOP spending in Iran, the database of the World Bank was mined for the period under study. Further, the trend analysis has been complemented by an exhaustive and comprehensive review of the extant literature. Results: From 1995 to 2014, out-of-pocket decreased from 53.59% to 47.8% of the total health expenditure, probably because of the different health reforms implemented throughout the years. However, out-of-pocket expenditure in Iran remains higher than the world average (roughly 3 times higher) Conclusion: It is an onus of the Iranian government to make serious attempts in order to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, as well as to protect particularly poor and vulnerable subjects against catastrophic health expenditure. In order to ensure an equitable and affordable access to the healthcare system, decision- and policy-makers in Iran should implement a review of health care costs, insurance tariffs, and healthcare services packages covered by insurance organizations as well as introduce a progressive tax-based financing scheme as soon as possible.https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/14919Healthcare reforms, Health economics, Iran, Out-of-pocket expenditure |
| spellingShingle | Masoud BEHZADIFAR Tina BEYRANVAND Mehdi JAFARI Meysam BEHZADIFAR Masood TAHERI MIRGHAED Mariano MARTINI Nicola Luigi BRAGAZZI A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014 Iranian Journal of Public Health Healthcare reforms, Health economics, Iran, Out-of-pocket expenditure |
| title | A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014 |
| title_full | A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014 |
| title_fullStr | A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014 |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014 |
| title_short | A Description of the Temporal Pattern of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure Related to Iranian Healthcare Services during 1995-2014 |
| title_sort | description of the temporal pattern of out of pocket expenditure related to iranian healthcare services during 1995 2014 |
| topic | Healthcare reforms, Health economics, Iran, Out-of-pocket expenditure |
| url | https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/14919 |
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