Τίτλος:
Informal payments in the Greek health sector amid the financial crisis: old habits die last..
Γλώσσες Τεκμηρίου:
Αγγλικά
Περίληψη:
Background: Under-the-table informal payments are commonplace as reimbursements for health care services in Greece. As the country faces a severe financial crisis, the need to investigate the extent of such payments, their incidence and their impact on household income is pressing. Methods: A survey of 2,741 persons from across the country was conducted between December 2011 and February 2012. The sample was defined via a multistage selection process using a quota for municipality of residence, sex and age. The maximum error margin was 2.41 % with a confidence interval of 95 %. Results: The survey reports under-the-table payments for approximately 32.4 % of public hospital admissions. Private clinics, which display the bulk of out-of-pocket payments, naturally display the lowest under-the-table payments. The highest percentage of under-the-table payments in the private sector appears at visits to private practitioners and dentists (36 %). Informal payments are most frequently made upon request, prior to service provision, to facilitate access to care and to reduce waiting times, and at a much lower percentage, to post-service provision, and out of gratitude. Conclusions: This survey reveals that, due to severe financial pressure, there is a growing unwillingness of citizens to pay informally and an increasing demand for these payments as a prerequisite for access to services or to redeem services provided. This “hidden” financial burden of at least 27 % impacts negatively on the living conditions of households and is not reported as purchasing ability or cost of living. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
Συγγραφείς:
Souliotis, K.
Golna, C.
Tountas, Y.
Siskou, O.
Kaitelidou, D.
Liaropoulos, L.
Περιοδικό:
The European Journal of Health Economics
Λέξεις-κλειδιά:
adult; aged; Article; dentist; female; financial crisis; financial deficit; Greece; health care cost; health care system; health insurance; health service; hospital admission; human; income; informal payment; major clinical study; male; organization and management; priority journal; private hospital; private practice; public hospital; reimbursement; economic recession; economics; family size; financial management; health care cost; middle aged; questionnaire; statistics and numerical data; young adult, Adult; Aged; Economic Recession; Family Characteristics; Female; Financing, Personal; Greece; Health Expenditures; Health Services; Humans; Income; Male; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
DOI:
10.1007/s10198-015-0666-0
