Research
Priorities of health policy: cost shifting or population health
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Correspondence: Jeff RJ Richardson jeff.richardson@bueco.monash.edu.au
Centre for Health Economics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2005, 2:1 doi:10.1186/1743-8462-2-1
Published: 11 January 2005Abstract
Background
This paper is an edited version of an invited paper submitted to the Australian Health Care Summit on 17–19 August 2003. It comments upon the policies which have dominated recent debate and contrasts their importance with the importance of five issues which have received relatively little attention.
Methods
Policy is usually a response to identified problems and the paper examines the nature and size of the problems which heave led to recent policy initiatives. These are contrasted with the magnitude and potential cost effectiveness policies to address the problems in five areas of comparative neglect.
Results
It is argued that recent and proposed changes to the financing and delivery of health services in Australia have focused upon issues of relatively minor significance while failing to address adequately major inequities and system deficiencies.
Conclusion
There is a need for an independent review of the health system with the terms of reference focusing attention upon large system-wide failures.