A comparative analysis of some policy options to reduce rationing in the UK's NHS: lessons from a general equilibrium model incorporating positive health effects

J Health Econ. 2009 Jan;28(1):221-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2008.10.002. Epub 2008 Oct 22.

Abstract

This paper seeks to determine the macro-economic impacts of changes in health care provision. The resource allocation issues have been explored in theory, by applying the Rybczynski theorem, and empirically, using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for the UK with a detailed health component. From the theory, changes in non-health outputs are shown to depend on factor-bias and scale effects, the net effects generally being indeterminate. From the applied model, a rise in the National Health Service (NHS) budget is shown to yield overall welfare gains, which fall by two-thirds assuming health care-specific factors. A nominally equivalent migration policy yields even higher welfare gains.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Health Care Rationing / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Policy*
  • Models, Econometric
  • State Medicine / organization & administration
  • United Kingdom