The aim of our paper is to analyse the effect of the so-called performance volume limit (PVL) financing method on acute hospital care.

The main purpose of this study is to examine: (1) The dynamic changes in cost containment and quality that have occurred under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program in Taiwan; (2) The trade-off effect relationship between cost and quality. This paper uses an empirical model to look at data...

In the county of Västerbotten, Sweden, there are two health centres which (contrary to all other health centres in the region) have a strict responsibility over their pharmaceutical budget. The purpose of this paper is to examine if the prices and quantities of pharmaceuticals prescribed by...

Cost containment in pharmaceutical benefits plans is often controversial because of its potential for unintended effects on health and overall expenditures. Thorough evaluations are needed to support benefits plans in developing evidence-based policies. Evaluations of income-based deductibles...

Disease management has been marketed by healthcare industry providers as a way of improving resource allocation in healthcare and containing costs. However, to achieve improved efficiency in healthcare requires the guidelines and protocols in the disease management process to be based on sound...

The American healthcare market is currently estimated at more than $US900 billion with double digit rising costs per year. Psychotropic agent costs have more than kept pace with market increases. Medication acquisition costs are an obvious focus for limiting costs in various care systems....

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the evolution of health care expenditure in Spain during the period 1980-1997, and henceforth to comment on the cost containment measures put forward to control its growth. The paper is divided into three separate sections. The first offers...

Pharmaceutical expenditure is rising more rapidly than the general inflation rate in most advanced countries. One strategy that has been introduced to control pharmaceutical costs is reference-based pricing (RBP). Its potential is restricted to those specific segments of the drug market where...

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the evolution of health care expenditure in Spain during the period 1980-1997, and henceforth to comment on the cost containment measures put forward to control its growth. The paper is divided into three separate sections. The first offers...