Background: Well-functioning competitive markets are key to controlling generic drug prices. This is important since over 90% of all drugs sold in the US are generics. Recently, there have been examples of large price increases in the generic market. Methods: This paper examines price...

The United States relies primarily on market forces to determine prices for drugs, whereas most other industrialized countries use a variety of approaches to determine drug prices. Branded drug companies have patents and market exclusivity periods in most industrialized countries. During this...

One of the primary objectives of Colombian social health insurance reform was to increase competition among for-profit insurers. Unfortunately, the flat capitated formula creates an opportunity for sickness funds to maximize reimbursement gains by “cream skimming”-selecting against unhealthy...

Undetected diabetes (UD) worsens prognosis, increases healthcare costs and reduces productivity in the long term. However, its determinants have not been previously explored in developing countries. In this paper, we assess the determinants of UD in Colombia. We conducted logistic regression...

There is increasing awareness that race and ethnicity play an important role in the poverty and social marginalization of Latin American and Caribbean populations.

Background:Background: In many countries, health insurance coverage is the primary way for individuals to access care. Governments can support access through social insurance programmes; however, after a certain period, governments struggle to achieve universal coverage. Evidence suggests that...

This paper evaluates effects of health insurance on preventive efforts among diabetics in Colombia. Type 2 diabetes patients show low compliance with preventive measures. Economic theory suggests that insurance reduces self-protection by reducing curative care costs. On the supply side, if...

There is increasing awareness that race and ethnicity play an important role in the poverty and social marginalization of Latin American and Caribbean populations.