An Introduction to Health Economics for Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union

This book provides an overview of the disciplines of health economics, focusing on aspects of particular relevance to countries in transition. It introduces economic concepts relevant to health; deals with funding mechanisms, including private insurance, social insurance, public taxation, etc.; presents issues facing the purchasers of health care; stresses the importance of economic evaluation as a tool for allocating resources to their most productive use; analyses payment methods for primary and secondary care; outlines the key techniques for health providers to plan, cost and contract for services; investigates the concept of "public" and "private" sectors and the role of privatisation in health; and reviews the process of health reform.