Health Financing Options for Samoa : Challenges and Opportunities

Samoa currently faces two important public policy challenges in the health sector. One is to stem, and then reverse, the rapid rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The second challenge is to put the country on a health-financing path that is effective, efficient, and financially affordable and sustainable. The two challenges are interconnected. This discussion paper examines eight options to address these challenges. The eight options are the following: (1) increasing government expenditure via higher general taxation; (2) increasing government expenditure via deficit financing; (3) increasing the share of government expenditure to health; (4) increasing external and donor financing; (5) increasing specific taxes; (6) mobilizing additional nongovernment resources via insurance (including social health insurance, and community and private insurance); (7) increasing cost-recovery measures; and (8) increasing efficiency. The paper concludes that the chief opportunity arises from more efficient use of resources already in the health system that are not presently used to maximum effect. Improving technical and allocative efficiency of the existing system has the potential to make a large difference and is technically feasible.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Anderson, Ian
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2013-09
Subjects:	ADDICTION, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, ADOLESCENTS, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, ALLOCATION, ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, ALLOCATIVE EFFICIENCY, ANNUAL REPORT, ANTENATAL CARE, ARTICLE, BUDGET DOCUMENTS, BUDGET OUTLOOK, BURDEN OF DISEASE, CANCER PATIENT, CANCER PATIENTS, CAPITAL COSTS, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, CENTRAL BANK, CHILD HEALTH, CHLAMYDIA, CLINICAL SERVICES, CLINICS, COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, COST OF SERVICES, COST OF TREATMENT, COST RECOVERY, COST SHARING, COST-EFFECTIVENESS, COST-RECOVERY, COSTS OF HEALTH CARE, COUNSELING, CURATIVE HEALTH CARE, DEATHS, DEBT, DEFICIT FINANCING, DENTAL CARE, DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, DIABETES, DIETS, DISASTERS, DOCTORS, DONOR ASSISTANCE, DONOR FINANCING, ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC SHOCKS, ECONOMIES OF SCALE, EMPLOYMENT, ESSENTIAL DRUGS, ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE, EXCHANGE RATES, EXTERNAL SHOCKS, FAMILIES, FAMILY PLANNING, FINANCE MINISTRY, FINANCIAL BARRIERS, FINANCIAL COST, FINANCIAL HEALTH, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, FINANCIAL PROTECTION, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, FINANCIAL RISK, FINANCIAL RISK PROTECTION, FINANCIAL SECTOR, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, FINANCIAL YEARS, FISCAL DEFICIT, FOOD SECURITY, FOREIGN EXCHANGE, FOREIGN LOANS, GALLSTONES, GENERAL TAXATION, GIRLS' EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE, HEALTH BEHAVIOR, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE ACCESS, HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURE, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, HEALTH CARE RESOURCES, HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE­SERVICE DELIVERY, HEALTH EFFECTS, HEALTH EXPENDITURE, HEALTH EXPENDITURE PER CAPITA, HEALTH EXPENDITURES, HEALTH FACILITIES, HEALTH FINANCING, HEALTH FUNDING, HEALTH INFORMATION, HEALTH INSURANCE, HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, HEALTH ORGANIZATION, HEALTH OUTCOME, HEALTH OUTCOMES, HEALTH PLAN, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, HEALTH PROMOTION, HEALTH RESOURCES, HEALTH SECTOR, HEALTH SERVICE, HEALTH SERVICES, HEALTH SPECIALIST, HEALTH SPENDING, HEALTH STATUS, HEALTH SYSTEM, HEALTH SYSTEMS, HEALTH WORKFORCE, HEALTH-CARE, HEALTH-CARE COSTS, HEALTH-FINANCING, HEALTH-FINANCING SYSTEM, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS, HOSPITAL BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, HYGIENE, HYPERTENSION, ILLNESS, IMMUNIZATION, INCOME, INCOME COUNTRIES, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, INCOME GROUPS, INCOME GROWTH, INFANT MORTALITY, INFANT MORTALITY RATE, INFANTS, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, INFLATION, INFLUENZA, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, INJURIES, INPATIENT CARE, INSURANCE, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH, LIVING STANDARDS, LOCAL CURRENCY, LOW INCOME, LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES, MACROECONOMIC VARIABLES, MARIJUANA, MARKET FAILURES, MEDICAL CARE, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, MEDICAL TREATMENT, MEDICINES, MEDIUM-TERM EXPENDITURE, MEDIUM-TERM EXPENDITURE FRAMEWORK, MENTAL HEALTH, MIDWIFERY, MINISTRY OF FINANCE, MONETARY POLICIES, MORTALITY, NATIONAL BUDGETS, NATIONAL HEALTH, NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES, NATURAL DISASTERS, NURSES, NURSING, NUTRITION, OBESITY, OUTPUT LEVELS, PALLIATIVE CARE, PATIENT, PATIENT TREATMENT, PATIENTS, PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK, PHARMACY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PHYSICIANS, POCKET PAYMENT, POLIO, POSTNATAL CARE, PRICE ELASTICITIES, PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE, PRIVATE INSURANCE, PRIVATE PHARMACIES, PRIVATE SECTOR, PROGRAMS, PROVIDER PAYMENT, PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM, PUBLIC PROVISION, PUBLIC SECTOR, QUALITY OF HEALTH, QUALITY OF SERVICES, REFORM AGENDA, REHABILITATION, RISK FACTORS, SANITATION, SCREENING, SECTOR POLICIES, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, SMOKING, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE, STIS, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, SUICIDE, SURGERY, TOTAL EXPENDITURE, TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE, TREATMENT, TUBERCULOSIS, UNCERTAINTY, UNDER-FIVE MORTALITY, VACCINATION, VACCINATIONS, WOUNDS,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/09/19798090/health-financing-options-samoa-challenges-opportunities https://hdl.handle.net/10986/20124
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