Equity and health ­care in the era of reforms

Description

Two major policy shifts accompanied the period of economic reforms in India: the sharp reduction in the controlled drug list, which led to a significant increase in drug prices, and the introduction of a two-tier service system in public hospitals aimed at generating more flexible financial resources for administrators. This paper examines the impact of these and related changes using four key indicators: untreated morbidity, reasons for non-treatment, the shifting balance between public and private healthcare provision, and the cost distribution of care across economic groups. It further incorporates a class- and gender-based analysis by going beyond aggregate statistics and employing a simple gradient–gap methodology to capture underlying health inequalities. The study highlights how policy reforms have influenced access to healthcare, cost burdens, and disparities across different segments of society.

Publication Date

1-1-2010

Publisher

CEHAT

Keywords

Equity, Health care

Source Link URL

https://ideas.repec.org/p/ess/wpaper/id8431.html

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