Who Benefits from Public Healthcare Subsidies in Egypt
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5936265 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ahmed Rashad, Ahmed Shoukry Rashad (0000-0002-6317-4337, Damanhour University), Mesbah Sharaf (0000-0001-5391-0620, University of Alberta, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 1162-1176 |
| Publication date | 2015-11-25 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2076-0760 • E-ISSN: 2076-0760 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/socsci4041162 |
| OpenAlex | W2177208847 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 19 |
Direct subsidization of healthcare services has been widely used in many countries to improve health outcomes. It is commonly believed that the poor are the main beneficiaries from these subsidies. We test this hypothesis in Egypt by empirically analyzing the distribution of public healthcare subsidies using data from Egypt Demographic and Health Survey and Egypt National Health Accounts. To determine the distribution of public health care subsidies, we conducted a Benefit Incidence Analysis. As a robustness check, both concentration and Kakwani indices for outpatient, inpatient, and total healthcare were also calculated. Results show some degree of inequality in the benefits from public healthcare services, which varied by the type of healthcare provided. In particular, subsidies associated with University hospitals are pro-rich and have inequality increasing effect, while subsidies associated with outpatient and inpatient care provided by the Ministry of Health and Population have not been pro-poor but have inequality reducing effect (weakly progressive). Results were robust to the different analytical methods. While it is widely perceived that the poor benefit the most from health subsidies, the findings of this study refute this hypothesis in the case of Egypt. Poverty reduction measures and healthcare reforms in Egypt should not only focus on expanding the coverage of healthcare benefits, but also on improving the equity of its distribution
Business · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Health care · Public economics · Public health · Public healthcare · Subsidy · Global Health Care Issues · Global Maternal and Child Health · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Nursing
Buying results? Contracting for health service delivery in developing countries
The Incidence of Public Spending on Healthcare
Protecting Households From Catastrophic Health Spending
Effect of payments for health care on poverty estimates in 11 countries in Asia
Economic impacts of health shocks on households in low and middle income countries
How to do (or not to do) … a benefit incidence analysis
Are the poor differentially benefiting from provision of priority public health services? A benefit incidence analysis in Nigeria
Why has the Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand achieved a pro-poor public subsidy for health care
Progressivity of health care financing and incidence of service benefits in Ghana
Public-private partnerships in health care in India
Access to health care in developing countries
Going beyond horizontal equity
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,5 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2025 (10) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |