Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/197225 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Citation: 
[Journal:] Health Economics Review [ISSN:] 2191-1991 [Volume:] 7 [Issue:] 29 [Publisher:] Springer [Place:] Heidelberg [Year:] 2017 [Pages:] 1-11
Publisher: 
Springer, Heidelberg
Abstract: 
This study examines the trend and determinants of health expenditures in OECD countries over the 1975-2004 period. Based on recent developments in the economic growth literature we propose and test the hypothesis that health care expenditures in countries of similar economic development level may converge. We hypothesise that the main drivers for growth in health care costs include: aging population, technological progress and health insurance. The results reveal no evidence that health expenditures among OECD countries converge. Nevertheless, there is evidence of convergence among three sub-groups of countries. We found that the main driver of health expenditure is technological progress. Our results also suggest that health care is a (national) necessity, not a luxury good as some other studies in this field have found.
Subjects: 
Health expenditure
Convergence
OECD countries
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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