Dear All,
Persistent and growing health inequalities are a clear evidence for serious
problems in public health. After all, this situation is exactly the opposite
of declared goal for improving health and quality of life among whole
populations and achieving highest attainable health for all.
Passionate appeals for more equity in the distribution are easily dismissed
from neoliberals on efficiency ground. This happens, because they have
theoretical platform - Kaldor-Hicks criterion for efficiency. Based on it,
they say: "We can have either equity or efficiency, but not both. Since
resources are limited, efficiency is paramount. Therefore, although
regrettable, we have to sacrifice equity."
Risking to infuriate all of you, I have to say: Yes, they are right, BUT for
a society, where: 1) people are of different value, i.e. some individuals
are valued much more than others; 2) people have different rights, i.e. some
individuals have more rights than others; and 3) there is no public
financing for health, i.e. everyone pays everything only with his/her own
money (no subsidies at all).
Since all tree points of the above mentioned conditions are not valid in the
civilized, contemporary world, Kaldor-Hicks criterion for efficiency simply
is not applicable in relation to health.
Unfortunately, so far no one from "the good guys" was able to back up the
claims for more equity in relation to health on a normative (in economics) -
what ought to be - ground.
Here I offer you a model, i.e. a theoretical foundation, explaining why in a
society, where: 1) all people are of equal value; 2) every individual has
the right to highest attainable health; and 3) most (60%-90%) of the funds
for health are public, EQUITY IS A PREMISE FOR EFFICIENCY.
I realize that for many of you this paper might be a little bit too
challenging, or "too technical", as one of your colleagues from a Nordic
country mentioned to me. I have tried not to use too specialized language
from economics and to present the information in a simple and logical way,
thus make it understandable for anyone. Those, who comprehend it, will
discover a mighty power to get you out of the "Phantom Zone".
Here it is: Panayotov Matrix.pdf
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=F.aa4921a2-e7a3-43dc-a781-66979dabf4a4
Should you decide to ask how it applies in a specific case, please contact
us at http://www.icare.biz/contact_us.html
Or, if you think you can handle it on your own, ask for the appropriate
permission at [log in to unmask]
All the best,
Jordan
---
Jordan Panayotov MEc MPH (Health Economics)
Director
Independent Centre for Analysis & Research of Economies
Melbourne, Australia
www.icare.biz
[log in to unmask]
-------------------
Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]
To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header -- to [log in to unmask]
SIGNOFF SDOH
DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.
To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname
To post a message to all 1200+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.
For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]
To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask]
SET SDOH DIGEST
To view the SDOH archives, go to: https://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html
|